Stacey's Pregnancy
by Preston101
Summary: What Gavin and Stacey's life might have turned out after she fell pregnant.
1. I'm pregnant!

"Ooh, sorry!" Gwen exclaimed as she tried the bathroom handle and realised it was locked. "Is that you, Ness?" She called through the door.

"No, it's me, Mum," came the reply from Stacey.

"Oh, are you alright, love? Do you want a cup of tea?" she asked.

"No, it's alright I'm coming down now," Stacey replied,

"Ok," she answered, then walked away from the bathroom.

Stacey sat on the edge of the bath, her heart beating fast. She glanced at her watch on the window sill then, back down at the test she held in her hand. "10," she whispered, "9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1" She opened her hands and stared at it... it read the same as all the others.

* * *

Stacey grabbed her phone and dialled Gavin's number as fast as she could - he picked up on the third ring.

"Where have you been? I've been calling?!" She gushed, before he'd even had time to say hello, as she bounded down the stairs.

"I know, sorry, I was just in the shower," Gavin replied, as he came down the stairs of his Mum and Dad's house in Billericay. "Anyway, I'm just leaving now, it's only half eight." He added, feeling in his jeans and jacket pocket before shouting out: "Mum?! Have you seen my keys?!" He began to route around on the stand then yelled out for his Mum again. "It's ok, I've got them!"

"Well, don't be long," Stacey said.

She dying to tell him her news_. Should I tell him over the phone_? But she decided against it.

"I just really wanted to see you, that's all." She sighed.

On the other end of the line, he replied: "Don't worry. I'm on my way." Then she heard the front door shut and the line went dead.

* * *

It had been 10 minutes since Stacey had last rung Gavin and he had been coming off the motorway. She was now sat on the window sill in the living room, staring out for his blue Citroen.

She saw him approaching at the top of the road.

As soon as he pulled up, Stacey came running out the house and he'd barely got out the car when she seized him by the hand and exclaimed:

"I've gotta talk to you!!" Looking bewildered, he let her drag him into the house and up the stairs.

"What's the matter?" He asked, as they nearly sent Gwen flying as she was coming out the bathroom.

Gwen stared at them as Stacey dragged him into the bedroom. _They must be desperate! _She thought with a smile, _I think I might go and see Jase wants an omelette. _Then went down stairs and left them to it.

Stacey slammed the bedroom door behind them.

"Stacey, what's going on?" He asked, desperately, with millions of his own ideas running through his head.

"Sit down a minute," She said, gesturing momentarily to the bed before going over to the drawers. "Right," she began, as she spoke she pulled out a shoebox from the top drawer.

_She's got me a new pair of shoes _was all Gavin could come up with.

"the thing is... you know we went to see the..." she stammered, at a loss of what to say. "Look... you know how much we've really wanted..."

Not really listening, he stared at the shoe box. _She's got me a new pair of shoes, _was all Gavin could come up with.

"Oh... Gav... I can't begin..."

"Stace? What's the matter?" He asked, a grin spreading across his face as she saw how wound up she was getting. "Just tell me,"

Stacey kept on sighing, until she thought of what to say. "Something's happened," she stated.

The smile fell from his face as soon as it had come and he felt himself go cold as she carried on speaking: "and I don't want to tell you about it, but..."

"What?!" He demanded.

"No! It's nothing bad... but..."

"What?!" He repeated, more firmly.

She handed him the box.

He took the lid off and nearly had a heart attack...

He looked up at her completely speechless, then pulled one of the pregnancy tests out and looked at it.

Two blue lines were on the screen: PREGNANT. It said in clear letters. His heart pounded, he looked up at her and his anxious face broke up into a smile.

He dropped it to the floor. He picked up another... and another... and another...

PREGNANT... PREGNANT... PREGNANT...

"Oh, my God!" Was all he could manage.

Stacey seized the box and emptied the contents onto the bed.

"There's thirty-four of them," she announced. "I know it's expensive, but I wanted to be sure. You're not cross are you?"

Finally he got his voice back; "Cross? Why would I be cross?!" He jumped up, realisation dawning on him. "You know what this means don't you?!"

"Yeah!"

At the same time they said completely opposite things...

"I'm pregnant!"

"My balls work!"

"We're gonna have a baby!"

"My balls work!"

He picked Stacey up and swung her round, then fell onto the bed. Holding her close as they kissed.

"This is amazing!" He exclaimed. "I've gotta tell, Mum!"

"No, not yet... let's get the wedding out the way, first."

They were interrupted by the call of Gwen: "Stace! Nessa's back!" She shouted.

"Ok!" Stacey replied, momentarily turning to the door, then back to face her husband. "I love you so much," she whispered, gazing at him.

"I love you too, baby." He replied,

"That's just the way it is." They both added at the same time.


	2. My God, you're pregnant!

**After Dave and Nessa's 'Wedding'**

* * *

"Well, that was..." Pam was at a loss of what to say.

"That was..." so was Mick.

"It was..." Everyone at the table was unable to put into words what they had just witnessed.

Gavin, Stacey, Pam, Mick, Gwen, Bryn and Neil - the baby were sat around a table at the Hog Pub after the reception of Dave and Nessa's wedding had been cancelled. And now, after the entire fiasco of the service had been drawn to an end, Smithy and Nessa had gone missing, leaving the baby, Neil, with Gavin and Stacey.

"I thought it was magnificent!" Bryn stated firmly, a smile spread across his lips. "I mean I just love a happy ending, don't you, Mick?!"

"Yeah, Bryn. But I wasn't expecting that." Mick replied, "what about you, Gav?"

"I'll say it was interesting." Gavin answered, he held a sleeping baby Neil with one arm whilst trying to drink his beer with the other hand.

"So what's new? With everyone?" Gwen asked, taking off her hat.

"Well, I'm getting a new conservatory, Gwen, Smithy's doing it - bless him - 50% off. I mean he wanted me to get an extension with sky lights, but that would need planning permission..." She carried on rambling on and nobody except Bryn was really listening to her.

"Anyone want another round?" Mick asked, trying to change the conversation.

He took the orders and made Bryn go with him, whilst Pam and Gwen went to the bathroom.

Stacey looked at Gavin he held Neil into his shoulder and looked like a natural.

"When should we tell them?" Gavin asked her.

"I dunno, I want to be sure, I might do a few more tests first," Stacey contemplated, fumbling around with her purse.

Gavin used the baby to hide his smile: "Babe... why don't we just tell them,"

"Not yet, Gav, I just want to give it a while, y'know, just to be sure." She smiled at Gavin as Neil began to stir, then snuggled back down into his shirt and Gavin readjusted the blanket around him and kissed his head. "You're gonna be a great Dad, Gav."

He smiled at her and was about to say something when Smithy walked in and the shout of: "GAVLAAAAAAAAAR!" Filled the room.

Turning round, Gavin replied,: "Smithster! What the hell just happened?"

Smithy sat down in Bryn's seat a smile on his face and grinned: "What just happened my friend, is I have just declared my undying love for the Mother of my child! Now, who's round is it?" He asked, looking towards the bar.

"C'mon, I'll buy you one, you deserve it after today, " Gavin said, standing up. "Yeah, and this is yours," he added, passing Neil back to Smithy.

Whilst Smithy crooned over his baby, Gavin looked at Stacey who mouthed _NO! _And Gavin mouthed _Why? _And Stacey went _No, please Gav. _This went on until Smithy turned around and they immediately looked innocent and as though nothing had ever happened.

"What's goin' on?" Smithy asked, holding Neil.

"Nothin'" they replied in unison.

"OK. C'mon, Gavlar you owe me that drink!" He said standing up and Gavin stood up and followed him.

Nessa walked in about 10 seconds later, spotted Stacey, then waded through a group of office workers drinking shots, who stopped and stared as she strode towards her still dressed in her silver wedding dress and big boots.

"Y'alright, Stace? What's occurin'?"

"Not much. Except you're now with Smithy! I didn't see that coming!"

"I know, me neither. It's gonna be immense! How's Neil - the baby?"

"He's fine. He's with Gav and Smithy." Stacey answered, then added; "Ness, where have you been?"

"Where have I been? Me and Smithy have been having sex." She replied, bluntly.

"You and Smithy have been having sex?!" Stacey asked, shocked.

"Yeah, but don't tell no one. I don't want them thinking I'm easy. I mean a few years back I was an item with Daniel Craig I was - before his James Bond days, I mean. Let's say when he got what he wanted he was gone. I'm not goin' there again."

"You alright, Nessa?" Gavin asked as he, Smithy, Mick and Bryn returned to the table.

"I'm not bad, Gav." She replied, she grimaced at Smithy who took the seat next to her. Stacey purposely looked away as Smithy began to feel along Nessa's leg.

About a minute later, Gwen and Pam came back from the toilets and they were chairs short, now Smithy and Nessa had arrived and they could only find another one.

Gavin gave his chair up for his Mum and Stacey did the same for hers, resorting to Stacey perching on his knee. He wrapped her hand over her tummy, visualising his baby inside of her. Their parents were too engaged in their own conversation to pay a second glance to Gavin and Stacey.

Nessa momentarily glanced at Stacey when she saw Gavin's hand, she looked again. _Not normal. Something's different._ Then she looked at Stacey's face. Then it dawned on her. Her eyes became wider, Stacey happened to glance at Nessa when she realised that she knew, she knew. Nessa began to point, speechless.

"Nessa! I need the toilet come with me!" She gabbled, quickly. Jumping off Gavin and seizing Nessa's hand and dragging her to the toilet before she had chance to say anything.

* * *

"You're up the duff!" She exclaimed as Stacey shut the door.

"Yes! I know and Gavin knows and now you know! But you can't tell anyone!... Especially not Uncle Bryn!"

"Why not Bryn?" Nessa asked

"Because knowin' him he'd put it on Facebook and Twitter!"

"Fair play. I won't tell no one. But why didn't you tell me?"

"Because we're not telling anyone!" Stacey exclaimed, exasperated. "Not 'til we're sure!"

"Fine, but don't blame me if I let it slip. This is gonna be terrific this is."


	3. My boy's all grown up!

"OK, there you go mate," Gavin said, putting two beers down on the table.

"Yeah, thanks, whatever." Smithy replied, his voice sounding withdrawn and angry at the situation.

"Are you alright?" Gavin asked, as he sat down.

"Yeah... yeah. I'm fine. So why are we here?" He answered, bluntly.

Gavin and Stacey had driven up to Billericay with Bryn, Gwen, Nessa and Neil the baby to break the news of the pregnancy. First, Smithy and Nessa. Then the others, little did Gavin know that Nessa already knew and so did Smithy.

"I have something to tell you," Gavin began, taking a swig of his beer and lighting up a cigarette as Smithy did the same, whilst giving his a hard stare.

"What do you have to tell me?" Smithy replied, stiffly.

"Alright, yeah. It's about me and Stacey..." He began, but unable to contain his anxiety to make a scene Smithy finished him off.

"Yeah, like how she's pregnant and you never told me?!" He demanded, as Gavin sat listening to him. "I mean you've changed... ever since you met her!"

"Oh here we go," Gavin muttered underneath his breath.

"I mean, we used to be inseparable! Since we were four, Gav! Four! But now... it's like I don't even know you!"

"Nessa?" Was all he said.

"Yeah," was all Smithy replied.

"Smith?"

"What?" He answered looking stony faced.

"My balls work," He face broke out into a smile, he punched Smithy on the shoulder, not caring he was in a mood. "I'm gonna be a dad. I'm having a baby!"

Smithy looked at him and in an anti gay way his heart was filled with love and pride for his mate.

"Come 'ere, you slag," he said and pulled Gavin into a hug. "I'm so proud of you." He added, kissing his cheek and hearing himself burst into tears.

"Yeah, I know." Gavin replied, feeling the moment was over. "C'mon, ca...calm down."

"Sorry." Was all Smithy could say as he let go of him, dabbing his eyes. "Who else knows?"

"No one, we're just telling you and Nessa, we'll tell Mum and everyone tonight."

"So you were gonna tell me first?" He asked, choking up.

"Yeah, Nessa found out by accident."

Smithy grabbed him again this time pulling him off his feet.

"My little boy's all grown up!" He choked, kissing him again,

"Yeah, put me down, Smith," Gavin groaned as he felt his stomach getting crushed. _Dear God, _he thought, _if this is Smithy, what'll Mum be like?_


	4. You did it, Gav, you did it!

"MICK!!! MICHAEL!!! GET DOWN HERE NOW!!! MICK!!!" Pam's voice echoed across the entire house and woke everybody in the entire of Billericay up. Stacey had been awake for the best part of an hour and was silently watching her husband as he slept soundly until the loud out burst of his Mother. He groaned sleepily and cuddled up closer to Stacey. He opened his eyes and looked towards her, and smiled as he saw her watching him.

"Mornin'," he whispered. "How long have you been awake?" He added, after kissing her gently.

Stacey pulled back, and he wrapped his arms around her. "About half an hour," she replied, "You look so lush when you're asleep,"

"What so I don't look lush when I'm awake?" He said.

"No, you know what I mean," Stacey answered, then she added; "do you want to cwtch?"

"Yeah, go on then," he muttered and she snuggled down into his bare chest.

"You know, you've made me happier than I've ever been," he whispered into her ear.

"Me too, Gav" Stacey replied, nestling closer to him, holding the hand that was draped around her shoulder.

"I'm always gonna look after you," he murmured, "both of you," and he put his other hand on his wife's stomach where their baby was growing.

"God, I love you so much." She said, pulling his face down to hers as they began to kiss.

Gavin rolled on top of her and began to kiss along her neck, then down to her chest, when their moment was interrupted by Pam barging along the landing yelling:

"MICHAEL!!! WHEN I CALL YOU, I EXPECT YOU TO COME!!!" and the reply of Mick being:

"But, Pam. I was in the shower!"

"I don't care if you were halfway to China, what if I needed you? What if the shop needed doing? What if Gavin dropped dead..." Her suggestions went on but Mick ignored her and interrupted her rant.

"I'm sorry, darling."

Gavin listened closely and muttered "Eh?" He'd never heard his Dad call his Mum darling.

"I'm so sorry, darling." Mick repeated, then lowered his voice, but Gavin and Stacey could still hear them. "It will never happen again... Camilla."

"Oh Charles!" Pam exclaimed to her husband and with disgust, Gavin realised they were doing roll play, and then they heard footsteps and bed springs. The look on his face made Stacey giggle and they ignored the noise of Gavin's parents start to have sex in the next room, by Gavin pulling the duvet over their heads to drown out the noise.

"We'll tell everyone tonight, yeah?" He murmered, moving strands of hair away from her eyes.

"Yeah, ok," She replied, holding the side of his face as their lips met again. "Tonight... Charles."

"That's not funny," he said,

"Yeah, you're right, you'll alway be my Gavin." She whispered, and then began to pull off her pyjama top, whilst Gavin held onto her hips and began to kiss down her neck after it was off...

* * *

"Alright, can we have your attention," Gavin called into the room and Pam, Mick, Nessa, Smithy, Gwen, Bryn, Pete and Dawn looked towards them.

"Speech! Speech!" Mick joked.

"Alright well there is something we wanted to say..." he began, but Pam interrupted them with the exclamation on:

"Oh my God! You're pregnant!"

"For some reason... I'm getting de-ja vu." Bryn muttered to his sister, whilst Mick came up on the defensive with: "Pam, she's not pregnant!"

"Actually..." Stacey began and everyone stared at them, half disbelieving it.

"Actually what love?" Gwen said, missing the point.

"Oh." Pam began,

"My." Mick added

"God." Dawn concluded, feeling left out.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" Pam screamed jumping up and down.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" Gwen exclaimed, finally getting it.

"I'M PREGNANT!!" Stacey yelled ecstatically, as they both hugged her.

"My baby's having a baby!" Pam shouted, joyfully. Throwing herself at her son.

"Yeah! I'm gonna be a dad!" Gavin replied, his face nearly splitting in to with the grin on his face.

Meanwhile, Nessa turned to Smithy and muttered; "Do you wanna go out for a fag?"

"Are you crying?!" Smithy replied, in quiet astonishment.

"No." Lied Nessa, "Anyways what about yous?"

"I'll admit it." He replied, dabbing at his eyes as they watched Gavin hug Stacey, pulling her slightly off his feet.

"Then I will too."

"Good."

"Crackin'"

"Come on then," and they went to have a cigarette in the garden.

"I thought he couldn't have children." Pete whispered to Dawn and she just looked at him.

"Who the hell told you that you bloody fool?"

"You did." He replied.

**Mick looked at his son, feeling prouder than he ever had done, and Gavin just grinned at him.**

* * *

"Alright, I better be getting home," Smithy said to Gavin, as he stubbed his cigarette in the ash tray later that night.

"Ok," Gavin replied, standing up and doing the same. "See ya, mate," He added, hugging him.

"I'll see you tomorrow, God, if we saw us now three years ago, I don't think I'd believe it. Me with Neil, you with Stace and now a baby on the way." Smithy muttered.

"I know," Gavin replied, thinking back over the last three years. "God..."

"Anyway, see ya, Gavlar." Smithy repeated, hugging him again, then walking in doors.

Gavin stared out into the garden, thinking of everything that had happened over the duration of the past week, he began to feel an odd feeling in his chest.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sarcastic comment from his dad: "And this from the man who can't have kids,"

Gavin turned around and smiled, but said nothing.

"Come 'ere!" Mick said, and pulled his son into a hug. "I am so proud of you." He whispered and kissed him on the cheek.

"I did it," Gavin replied, quietly.

"I know,"

Unable to hold his emotions together anymore he broke down sobbing with joy and relief in the arms of his Dad, whilst Mick just held it.

"You did it Gav, you did it," was all he murmured as he held his son.


	5. They're not gonna fire you nor nothing?

**TWO WEEKS LATER.**

At half past seven on Saturday morning, two weeks after Gavin and Stacey had returned to Barry since Billericay, Gavin's phone began to ring loudly, waking them both up.

Gavin opened his eyes, wearily, and Stacey groaned out in objection as he reached over her and picked up his phone.

"Hello?"

Stacey cuddled back down into his chest and fell asleep almost immediately.

"Why?" He demanded. "Yeah, 'course... I'll be in in an hour. Ok, I'll see you." He flicked his phone shut and dropped it back onto the bedside table.

Gavin rolled Stacey back onto her pillow, he inhaled the smell of her hair, then gently kissed her cheek and pulled the duvet up around her from where it had fallen around her tummy.

* * *

Gavin came back into their bedroom after he'd had a shower and shaved, and began to pull on his clothes.

Stacey rolled over and looked at him, "Gavin, where are you going?" She asked, drowsily.

"Huw called from work, he wants to see me," Gavin answered.

"What do they want you for?" Stacey said to Gavin as he buttoned up his shirt.

"I dunno, babe. They just said they wanted me to go in," he replied reaching for his tie.

"Gav, they're not gonna fire you nor nothing?" She asked, the idea just springing into her mind.

"Nah, don't be stupid. 'Course they won't." He answered, but she had just voiced exactly what had been worrying him.

"But what'll happen if they do?" She persisted.

He finished tying his tie, then turned and sat on the edge of their bed next to Stacey who was still led there.

"If they do I'll just get a new job," he shrugged, "as long as I've got you, we'll be fine." then he added, "both of you,"

"You're so lush, you," Stacey replied, putting her hand on the back of his hair.

"Alright, give me a kiss," he said, kissing his wife, then kissing her tummy. "I'll call you," he added, standing up. "Love you."

"You too,"

And with that, bedroom door behind him and a few minutes later, Stacey heard his car drive away.

* * *

Gavin sat outside the office of Huw Davis, his boss, as he waited to be called in, he saw he had another guy in with him.

_Dear God, _Gavin thought desperately, _Please, dear God, please... don't let anything happen._

"Gavin?" He looked up, and saw Huw standing over him with a grin on his face. "C'mon in, boy! There's someone who I want you to meet,"

Gavin stood up, and followed Huw into his office.

"Nigel, Gavin. Gavin, Nigel." Huw said, introducing the two. As they shook hands, it finally dawned on Gavin who this Nigel bloke was... he was the CEO of the enterprise.

* * *

Stacey's phone rang an hour later, she flipped it open, then exclaimed: "GAV? How was it? What's happened? Did they fire you?" She heard him sigh on the other end, then the simple phrase of:

"I'm out. We'll talk when I'm back." Then the line went dead.

"For Fuck sake, Gavin!" Stacey shouted with frustration, throwing the phone to the floor.


	6. It wasn't the Queen, it was Jason

Half an hour later, Gavin's Citroen pulled up outside number 47, he switched off the engine, but didn't get out of the car for a minute.

Stacey had heard the car pull up, she had got dressed as she had nothing better to do and had sat waiting for her husband to return home since he'd left, going over and over in her mind the terrible possibilites of what Gavin's boss could have in store for him.

She rushed to the window and saw him sat in his car, with an expression on his face that she'd seen before. _Oh, God, _she thought, and began to brace herself for the worst.

He turned his key in the lock, then pushed the door open, just as Stacey came out from the kitchen into the living room.

She looked at him.

He looked at her, then he gave her a painful grimace.

"Oh, Gav," she whispered, practically feeling herself deflate. "Come 'ere," She added, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek; "it's gonna be okay,"

* * * *

"So what happened?" Stacey asked a few minutes later, as they sat on the sofa, each with a cup of tea.

Gavin had been pretty much silent since he'd come in, and Stacey had a feeling there was something more to it.

He shrugged. "Huw called me into his office, and there was this bloke in there, this Nigel Thomas guy - he's like the big boss guy of ICB. Anyway, he's up 'ere from London to sort out staffing."

"Gavin..." Stacey breathed, sympathetically, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Like I was sayin', he's sorting out staffing, and Huw starts on about how they've had to let people go, when this Nigel says he wants to offer me this promotion."

Stacey's head shot up, "what?!" She exlaimed, Gavin's face had finally cracked into the grin that had been trying to come out for the past quarter of an hour, "You got a promotion?!"

"I got a promotion!"

"You got a promotion!"

She threw her arms around his neck and he span her round, then they fell onto the sofa after kissing for a while, Gavin broke off and gently took hold of her face in his hands and whispered:

"We're sorted now, babes. We're gonna be fine." She say anything back to him, but she rested her hand on the back of his head the look that she gave him in that next second gave him such a feeling, that he couldn't desribe.

Their moment was suddenly interrupted by Bryn springing out of nowhere as he bounded in through the door.

"Only me!" He announced, opening the fridge and leaning in and pulling out a carton of organic grape juice and pouring it into his favourite mug with the Queen on it and then replacing it and coming to sit in the living room. "Hello, you two, what's going on,"

"Well..." Gavin began, about to tell Bryn about his promotion, but Bryn hadn't seemed to realise that Gavin had started speaking.

"I'm here for a reason, actually - and I'll tell you for why - you know my on line friend, Brucie?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, we were thinking of meeting this afternoon - going down to the pier, and I was wondering, Stace, do you still have that rape alarm?"

"Yeah, I do somewhere, why?"

"Well I was led in bed last night and I got so anxious about the ordeal, that I couldn't get to sleep at all, I had to have _two _banana Nesquicks! Then it came to me - that rape alarm of Stacey's! I was getting so fractious I didn't get to sleep until quarter past 10! That's almost unheard of for me!" He explained. "Anyway, sorry Gavin, you were saying something?"

"Yeah - I got a promotion," He said, and Bryn jumped up and yoo-hood at the top of his voice,

"Well done, young man! I am so proud of you! Come here and give me a hug!" He exclaimed, seizing him and throwing his arms around him.

"Yeah... I'm really chuffed," He muttered, as his uncle-in-law clutched him.

"Oh, you've got a double whammy now - a little baby on the way and a new job! This could only get better if the Queen herself walked through this door, right now!"

It wasn't the Queen who walked through the door - it was Jason...

* * *

**HI! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!**


	7. The Bin? But it's Saturday!

It wasn't the Queen who walked through the door, it was Jason...

* * *

"Hello," he said, his voice thick and full of emotion.

"Jase!" Stacey squeeled, jumping up and running to hug her brother, "what're you doing here?!"

Bryn swallowed and looked at his nephew, but didn't say anything

As he, Gavin and Stacey looked at him properly, they saw he hadn't shaved in days, his clothes were crumpled, his eyes were red and swollen and his hair was greasy.

"Jason?!" Came a shrill cry from Gwen as she came bounding down the stairs, "Jason? Is that you?!" And as soon as she came through the door, she threw herself on her son. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't..." She began to gush, holding his face, then she paused and took hold of his chin moving his head from side to side. "What's the matter?"

"It's José... he's... he's left me," Jason stammered, before breaking down in his Mum's arms.

"Jason... it's alright, love," Gwen said,

"Oh Jase, he's not worth it." Stacey added, putting her hand on her brother's shoulder.

"Jason, don't fret, because you have us. And by us, I mean: your sister, your mother, myself, Gavin and all of your friends to help you through this time. So you aren't alone in all of this!" Bryn rambled, not seeming to realise that no one was listening.

* * *

"Hiya, Mum," Stacey called, as she walked through the door with shopping bags from Morrisons.

"Hiya, love," Gwen answered, "where's Gav?"

"He's on the phone to Pam, telling her about the promotion."

"Oh, that's nice." Gwen said, helping her unpack the shopping. "We'll finish here, and then I'll make us all a nice omelette."

"Yeah, that'll be nice, how's Jason?"

"He's asleep upstairs, it is a shame, I really did like José,"

"And where's Uncle Bryn?"

"He's on the toilet," Gwen, replied, then lowered her voice and continued: "He's gone very funny, not himself... I think it's something to do with Jason."

"The fishing trip?" Stacey asked in a whisper.

Gwen nodded.

"Yeah... ok, you too, Mum. Yeah, ok... bye, Dad. Yeah, I will, look Mum I really have to go. Ok, yeah, I said I will, I love you too, bye bye." Gavin hung up the phone and dropped his bags onto the kitchen counter.

"Your Mum?" Stacey asked, seeing the look on his face.

"God... I love her to death, but she doesn't half go on," he groaned.

"D'you want an omelette, Gav?" Gwen asked him.

"Er, no Gwen, you're alright." Gavin replied, then turned to his wife and said; "What time are we meeting Smithy and Ness?"

"Two,"

"Alright,"

"Ok, you two. I'm going to go and see if Bryn's coming over." Gwen stated, leaving the room.

Gavin waited until Gwen had shut the front door, and lowered his voice to his wife in case Jason was listening, then whispered;

"What's happened with Jason?"

"Well, I dunno about Mum, but I think there's something more to it than José dumping him. Apparently Uncle Bryn's being really wierd about it, too."

"Do you think it's the fishing trip?" Gavin asked,

"Well I do, yeah." Stacey replied.

"What's going on?" Came the voice of Jason from the doorway,

They jumped violently and Stacey mumbled something about omelettes and Gavin mumbled something about taking the bin out and he walked out the door while Stacey opened the fridge.

"Are you doing an omelette?" Jason asked his sister.

She smiled at him.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you're gonna have a shower and shave."

He smiled at her in reply.

"Come 'ere," she said and hugged him, then added, "What happened, Jase?"

"A lot of stuff, Stace. But I'm not ready to tell any one just yet."

They heard the door open and Gwen walked into the living room.

"Hiya, love." She said to her son. "Are you feeling a bit better,"

"I will when I've had one of your omelettes."

"Good boy," she replied then started to collect together her ingredients.

"Where's Uncle Bryn?" Stacey asked.

"Oh, he's not coming over," Gwen answered, cracking eggs into a bowl, "he's online to one of his friends... Eugene or Emmett or someone, he has so many I just can't keep track, apparently, he's now got fifteen friends on Facebook. He's over there feeling popular!" She added, then laughed to herself as her children looked at each other and gave each other the 'look'. "Anyway, where's Gav gone?"

"Oh, he's gone to put the bins out." Jason replied, before Stacey had a chance to move her lips.

"The bins? They're not coming until Tuesday!"

"Mam! Today is Tuesday!" Stacey insisted, trying to make eye contact with her Mother.

"No, love. Today's Saturday. The 24th. Saturday the 24th."

"Oh, of cour..." Stacey began, feigning realisation, then it dawned on her. Saturday the twenty fourth of June... the fifth anniversary of the Fishing Trip. "Oh, yeah! I'll go and tell, Gav!" She rambled rushing out the door.


	8. When I lived in China

"GAVALAAAAAAAAAR!" Came the almighty yell from Smithy as he stepped out his car onto the pier and then Nessa appeared from the passenger seat with Neil the baby in her arms.

"Smithstar!" Gavin replied, as he and Stacey walked towards them.

"_Alright_, Stace? Alright, Gav? What's occurin'?" She asked, striding towards them.

* * *

Nessa and Neil the baby had travelled down to Essex to see Smithy and for Smithy to properly introduce Nessa to his family as his girlfriend.

* * *

"Hiya, Ness," Stacey replied, dropping the empty tray of chips that she and Gavin had been sharing into the bin and then hugged her best friend.

"Hiya," Gavin said as he too hugged Nessa, a thing that he always found awkward and uncomfortable as she never hugged him back.

"Hi, Smithy," Stacey said as she turned to Smithy and hugged him.

"Stacarini!" He exclaimed, hugging her and kissing her on the the cheek.

"Oh, Gavalar!" Smithy groaned as he hugged his best friend, "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too, Smith," Gavin answered.

"That's good!" Smithy exclaimed, letting go of Gavin, then strode over to his car and dragged Neil the baby's push chair out of the boot, then set it up as Stacey took Neil whilst Nessa lit up two cigarettes and puffed on them both as the same time, when she saw Gavin staring at her, slightly bemused, she stated:

"It's been a long journey!"

Smithy locked up the car and wheeled the pram up the Stacey and she put the baby in and strapped him in.

"C'mon," he called to them all, "before we set off, I Googled Chineses in Barry - there are some _really_ good ones, and I am starving! Let's eat!"

* * *

Gwen was out at Bingo.

Jason was with her.

Bryn was off doing whatever Bryn did.

Smithy, Nessa, Gavin and Stacey sat in the living room with their Chineses.

"So how was Essex?" Stacey asked Nessa, as she ate her rice.

"So, so, Stace." Nessa replied as she tucked into her ribs, noodles, rice, curry, duck, wings and prawn crackers. "I mean, it's good for Neil the baby..." she began, gesturing to her son who sat on the floor with his dad and Gavin, forcing fist fulls of Chinese food into his mouth from their plates. "...to see his Gran and that, but I'll be honest with you: all the woman did was eat and sleep, my god, and she snored enough to wake China. Rudi, well, she's anorexic. We got a Chinese, very much like this one, and she had some noodles, then put the rest in the fridge! I can't be done with people like that, Stace. I'll tell you - I can't!"

Stacey smiled. She'd eaten with Smithy's family before, and Rudi was anything but anorexic. And Nessa couldn't talk when it came to people snoring.

"So, you enjoyed it then?"

"To be honest, Stace, I had a crackin' time!" Nessa stated, picking up a handful of noodles with her fingers then stuffing it into her mouth.

"Do you want a knife and fork, Ness?" Stacey asked, watching her.

Nessa shook her head.

"No, you're alright, When I lived in China. I never used any cutlery at all!"

"You lived in China?" Gavin and Smithy asked from the floor at the same time, preparing themselves for another far fetched story.

"Yeah, I was engaged to the emperor: Xing Yung the forty sixth. We sat on the floor too, I still feel more comfortable sat on nothing at all."

"Then why are we on the fl...?" Smithy began, spooning a mouthful of his chicken curry into Neil's mouth, then seemed to forget he was saying anything and converted to his baby voice and said: "No, little boy! You can't have anymore! If you have anymore there won't be anymore left for Daddy!" in an abnormally high voice and tickled his tummy.

Stacey looked at Gavin as he watched his best friend and god son bond and the look in his eyes made Stacey heart miss several beats.

"So, how's everything up the quack?" Nessa asked scooping more food into her mouth.

"Yeah, it's going good," Gavin said, looking towards his wife, half expecting her to reveal a massive secret about his child having two heads or that it wasn't actually his baby but Igor's down the road.

"Yeah, it's fine." Stacey agreed, looking back at him.

"You thought of any names?" Smithy added, bouncing Neil up and down on his knee.

"Erm, not really no." Gavin said, shrugging, then looked back towards Stacey. "Babes?"

"Well... I might have bought a baby name book last weekend, and there are loads of names in there! For a girl I'd really like Aleesha and Bella and Bethany and Chloe and Danielle and Ella and Eva and Isabel and Jodie..."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later...

* * *

"... and Tom... and Warren and Zach for boys."

By then they had all lost interest.

"So, what do you think?"

"Yeah... I liked them, Stace." Gavin said, trying to look interested, but he and Smithy had spent the last ten minutes making funny faces at the baby.

"Ness?"

"I liked how you did them in alphabetical order." She groaned.

"Smithy?"

He looked at her, as much as he loved Stacey and Gavin for that matter, he was told never to lie by him Mum and Dad.

"To be honest, Stacey, that was _the _most boring fifteen minutes of my life."

Whilst Stacey stared at him looking hurt, Gavin and Nessa looked at each other and suppressed howling with laughter.


	9. I want to call him, Trevor

Nessa pushed open the front door, with Neil the baby in her arms.

"Hello?" She called out, "Stace? Gav? Gwen? Bryn?"

"Ness?" Came a voice from the landing.

"Yeah?" She replied, unsurely, recognising the voice, but not quite placing it.

"Is that you?"

"Maybe, maybe not?" She answered, pulling her son closer to her as he played with the big gold chain around her, "It depends who's that?"

"Gavin."

"Oh, alright, Gav?" She said, in a completely different tone, finally placing the voice to his owner. "What's occurin'?" She added, setting her son onto the floor and he crawled away.

"Nothin' much," he answered, but as she began to make her way upstairs, he called out: "Ness, could you stay downstairs?"

"Why?" She asked, stopping.

"Stacey's having..." Gavin began, but she interrupted him.

"Morning sickness?"

"Yeah,"

"I thought as much." She said in her 'knowing voice'. "Ok, I got it really bad, but I tried this thing that my Great-Great Auntie Sukie had, totally worked." Nessa explained, shuffling up a few steps, Gavin coming into full view as he sat with his back against the wall his knees brought up to his chin as he sat outside the bathroom door.

"What was it?" Gavin asked, as she sat on the steps.

"Well, grind raw papaya with rose water, and when I say papaya, I mean skin, seeds the whole caboosh! Add three drops of milk then she drinks it."

He just looked at her.

She paused. "Or was that for acne?"

They were interrupted by the almighty crash, that was followed by the piercing shriek of Neil's crying.

"Oh, Neil!" Nessa yelled, "what's the matter?"

There was no answer.

"I hear you, pookie!" she added and began to make her way down the stairs in her big leather boots.

* * *

Gavin came down the stairs fifteen minutes later, Nessa was sat at the table eating an omelet whilst Neil the baby sat in his high chair ripping apart his omelette and throwing it onto the floor.

"How is she?" Nessa asked, cutting off another piece of her omelet and putting it in her mouth.

"Well she hasn't for over five minutes so..."

"And you left her?" She interrupted, looking outraged. "Big mistake, Gavin! You never leave a lady, alone! Never!" She returned to her meal, "I learnt that in Scouts."

"Scouts?" Gavin asked, looking confused. He and Smithy had gone to Scouts, before Smithy had got kicked by Mr. Hungus because he was too fat to partake in any of the activities. so Gavin quit too, he was sure it was only for boys, if it was just Mr. Hungus that let boys in... then he should be in prison.

"I thought only boys were allowed in," he said, looking at her.

"Papa Ian pulled a few strings and got me in... _God! _I loved that uniform!"

"And Papa Ian is?"

"My ninth step father. I have eleven fathers, you know, Gav,"

"First, Dad. Second, Papa Gordon the first. Next, Papa Torchesky. After Papa Richard. Then, Papa Len. Sixth, Papa Gordon the second. Seventh, Papa Wyn. Eight, Papa Gareth. Nine Papa Ian. Lastly, Papa Floyd and finally Papa Lloyd. Then back to my dad. Then my Mother, she dies, don't she and all eleven want me, because let's face it, Gavin. I am a _very_ beautiful woman."

Gavin looked at her.

"Well?!" She demanded, looking at him accusingly.

He nodded. "If I wasn't married..." Was all he could come up with.

"I'd expect no less!"

Nessa glanced over towards her son and only now did she notice that prawn omelette was smeared onto the carpet.

"Oh, Neil!" She said, sharply.

He just gave her a gummy a smile.

"Why did you do that, why?" She asked, standing up. "Gav, can you get him?" She added.

"Sure," he muttered, picking him out of the seat and holding him.

"Bring him here," She said, glaring her son in the eye. He held the baby towards her. "Neil Noel Edmond Smith. Why did you do that?"

Neil just looked at her, sucking his fist.

"That was naughty! That was a waste of very good food! If you didn't want it why didn't you just say?! I would have eaten it! Or your Uncle Gavin! Put him down."

Obediantly, Gavin gently lowered him to the floor, just staring at Nessa. Still glaring at the baby, she lowered onto her hands and knees and began putting the omelette back onto the plate, never breaking the eye contact she had with her son.

Then she stood up, sat down and began to eat the omelette.

He then crawled away and began rolling his cars up and down the carpet and babbling away to himself.

Gavin wanted to back away and run, instead, he mumbled about Stacey needing him and edged out of the room and climbed the stairs.

All the time, Nessa still stared at her son.

* * *

"Stacey?" Gavin said, softly as he walked through their bedroom door.

She was curled up on their bed, the teddy that he's bought her last Valentine's day stuffed underneath her pillow with her hand holding onto it as she dozed.

"Stace?" He repeated, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Stace?"

After a few seconds, she rolled over.

"How're you feeling?" he whispered, stroking her blonde hair.

She smiled weakly at him. "I don't like this side of being pregnant." She muttered.

Gavin laughed at his wife, "c'mere." He muttered and she sat up and hugged him.

"We're gonna be fine." He breathed into her hair.

"Gav?" She said to him.

"Hmm?" He replied, letting go of her.

"If we have a boy..."

"Yeah,"

"I really want to call him Trevor!"

He looked at her, slightly bemused. Until he realised she was deadly serious.


	10. It'll be Ok

**Numbness was all the couple felt, it took a minute for them to register the news that had been processed to them. How could it everything have  
changed within one hour, thirty six minutes, eighteen seconds?**

* * *

"Stacey! C'mon we'll be late!" Gavin yelled up the stairs to his wife, before walking into the kitchen and downing the cup of tea that Gwen had made for him.

"Thanks, Gwen," he said washing it out in the sink and putting it onto the draining board.

"Are you two talking again then?" Gwen asked, sympathetically.

He just looked at her.

* * *

One hour, twenty nine minutes, forty seven seconds.

* * *

Ever since Stacey's revelation that she wanted to call their son Trevor had lead to four and a half days of awkwardness, silent treatment, arguments, make-up sex and then more arguments.

Stacey was adamant to have her way.

Gavin was adamant to have his way.

Stacey wanted to call him Trevor after her dad.

Gavin hated the name and as much as he liked what he'd seen and heard of Stacey's dad, he was determined not to have his first - or possible only - child to be called Trevor.

Hence the four and a half days of awkwardness, silent treatment, arguments, make-up sex and then more arguments.

* * *

One hour, nineteen minutes, thirty one seconds.

* * *

"Please, Gwen, you live in the same house! We talk **AT **each other... not too each other,"

She sighed, fiddling with her dressing gown tie.

"Don't worry, love," she said, sipping at her tea and pulling the paper towards her. "Everything'll be fine."

* * *

"It's not that it's not a good name, it just..." Gavin whispered into the darkness.

Stacey couldn't believe that he was still carrying this on, hours later.

"Gavin, drop it." She replied, quietly.

That was always a sign; she called him Gavin.

"Stacey..." He began, awkwardly.

That was always a sign, too; he called her Stacey.

But he never finished the sentence.

She felt the contents of her stomach begin to rise, threw the duvet back, ran from the room and barely made it to the bathroom before she was throwing up into the toilet.

Gavin followed and sat on the floor with her for three hours as she drifted from the positions of knelt by the toilet to leant against his chest, dozing, with his arm wrapped around her and back again.

Finally, at two thirty, she fell into a broken sleep as she tossed, turned and shivered.

He silently stood up and went back into their bedroom and grabbed her pillow and the blanket they had over the duvet, then tiptoed back to the bathroom.

He eased Stacey's head up and place the pillow underneath her before gently returning her head to it's original position.

Then draped the blanket over her shoulders.

Due to his promotion, work had given him a few days off, so for the rest of the night, he watched her sleep, listened to his Mother-in-Law's snores as the echoed around the house and he was sure he heard Doris' voice shrieking:

"Oh Scott! Scott! Good boy, Scott! Right there Scott! Scott! Oh God, Scott!" Then a pause and her voice again saying: "Thanks love, that was a really bad itch, I couldn't quite reach it."

* * *

Fifty eight minutes, twenty four seconds.

* * *

Gavin drove in silence.

Stacey sat staring out the window.

They were on the way to their first prenatal scan, and the entire experience was turning out to be afar from what both of them had dreamed it.

* * *

"What's wrong with the name, Trevor?" Stacey asked, as they sat at the table eating their dinner.

"There's nothin' wrong with it," Gavin replied, trying to edge around the subject lightly.

"My dad was called Trevor," She stated, as if he had no idea.

"Yeah, Stacey, I know that... it's just..." He mumbled, wishing he had never said anything.

"Just what?" She demanded, looking at her husband, accusingly.

"Oh, leave it, Stacey!" Gavin groaned, standing up and dumping the remainders of his dinner in the kitchen bin.

"Gav!" Stacey shouted after him, "Don't do this!"

A day had passed since she had told him that if they had a boy, she wanted to call him Trevor and ever since they had been at each others throats ever since Gavin had insisted it was a stupid name.

* * *

22 minutes, 57 seconds.

* * *

A while later, a voice aroused them both back to their surroundings.

"Stacey Shipman!" Called the receptionist as Gavin and Stacey sat in the waiting room.

As they looked towards her, she added: "Room 8"

Stacey replaced the magazine she was reading back on the pile and Gavin put his phone back in his pocket, they stood up and made their way towards the door that she had gestured to. He opened the door and held it there until she'd walked through it.

That was one of the things Stacey idolised him for; even in the midst of an argument, he was still a gentleman.

He closed it after himself and then knocked on the door of Number 8 and they walked into the room.

* * *

7 minutes, 25 seconds.

* * *

"So have you experience any abnormalities?" The nurse asked as she tapped Stacey's details into her computer.

"No, not really, just a lot of morning sickness." Stacey replied.

"And a lot of mood swings," Gavin added as he sat down next to the table she was led on.

"Gavin!" She said, incredulous that he had shared what had happened over the last few days with a stranger.

The nurse laughed.

"Don't worry Mrs Shipman, it's all very common." She stated, reaching for the jelly on the side. "Ok, now this is going to be cold."

She spread the jelly on Stacey's exposed stomach as soon as she picked up the sensor attached to the screen, Gavin felt something hit him mentally - it was a wierd feeling, as though something was about to happen.

He swallowed, trying to rid himself of the feeling - but he couldn't.

* * *

Three minutes, fourteen seconds.

* * *

The nurse moved it to Stacey's stomach and began to spread it across, then they turned towards the screen, after a minute she turned back to Stacey's stomach.

* * *

One minute, twenty five seconds.

* * *

This feeling now turned to dread and Gavin realised something was wrong.

Stacey began to feeling it, too and she looked towards her husband and in that look and the one he returned to her, everything from the past few days was all forgotten.

_Please_ they both chanted in their heads,_ Not now, we've come too far._

"Excuse me," the nurse muttered, replacing the moniter and leaving the room.

* * *

Now

* * *

A silent tear fell down Stacey's face.

Gavin caught hold of her hand and held it in his grip, gently stroking her fingers.

"Gav...?" She whispered, desperately seeking some reassurance.

"It's OK," He replied, kissing her forehead. "The machine'll be broken or something."

He kissed her again; "It'll be OK," he repeated, trying to show some assurance in his voice.

But there was a part of his that wasn't really sure that it was.


	11. What are you doing, woman!

Hi, sorry. I uploaded the wrong chapter. Any way - enjoy!

* * *

Gavin and Stacey arrived home half an hour later.

Gwen was cooking an omelet in the kitchen.

Bryn was sat on the floor, cross legged, watching Legally Blonde 2 and attempting to complete his sudoku.

Jason was texting his new love interest 'Flynn'.

The whole atmosphere was normal.

"Bryn? Do you want salt and pepper?!" She called.

"No thank you, Gwen!" He replied, adding another number into the column he was working on and then rubbing it out again with the rubber on the end of his pencil and then moving onto another one.

"Should Gavin and Stacey not be back yet?" Jason asked, looking up from his phone.

Gwen glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Should be any minute now, love," Gwen answered, pouring the mixture into a frying pan.

Then the door opened.

"There you go, Jase, I just told you!" She said to her son as she came out the kitchen, "Hiya love!" She added.

But there was no reply.

"Stace? Gav?" She called, she looked at Jason and then they looked towards the doorway, even Bryn looked up from his entertainment.

Seconds later, Stacey appeared in the doorway: her eyes were red and swollen and she collapsed into her Mother's arms, sobbing.

"Oh God," Gwen muttered. "It's alright, darling. It's alright."

Gavin appeared behind her, and the look on his face said it all...

* * *

"Alright, so let me get this straight..." Bryn began, wiping the edges of his mouth with his velour hankerchief. "So, you go in... then... the nurse leaves and HO HO!" He could no longer contain his laughter and began to chortle at the situation.

"Ok" Jason muttered, as the entire family left Bryn to it as he was the only one who found it funny. "So then the nurse leaves and then you two are getting all wound up, thinking you've lost the baby and that... when she comes back in and says..."

"I'M SORRY I'VE FORGOTTEN THE BATTERIES!!" Bryn was hysterical, hyperventalating, eyes streaming, then choking - his omelette had come back up the wrong way.

"Bryn!" Gwen exclaimed, rushing to her brother-in-law's side. "Are you alright? Oh, Bryn!"

"Water..." Bryn croaked, clutching his chest.

Gwen sped into the kitchen and hurriedly siezed a cup and filled it, then returned to Bryn's side.

Stacey, Gavin and Jason were on their feet, staring at him.

When Gwen returned, unsure of what to do: she threw the water over him.

"What are you doing woman?!" Bryn choked, looking up at her a thin layer of sweat beading his forehead. "To drink, Gwen! To drink!"

This was all too much for Gavin; he collapsed to the floor shaking with laughter.

He wasn't the only one to find it funny.

Jason held onto the sofa for support, whilst Stacey just stood there laughing.

"NOT FUNNY!" Was all he could manage and after Gwen had fetched his water, and he had taken a mouthful, he was recovering after a few seconds.

A minute later, Bryn pulled himself back to his feet.

"That was not funny!" He exclaimed, trying to brush the water off him.

"Yeah, Bryn, you're right, sorry." Gavin mumbled.

"Yeah, so sorry Uncle Bryn," Jason added.

"Like they said, so sorry." Stacey confirmed.

"Oh, look at me! I am soaked right through - my vest even needs changing!"

Once more, it became too much and all three of them burst into laughter and Gwen let out a little giggle.

* * *

After Bryn had gone home and gotten changed, Gavin was sat on the sofa with Stacey curled up in his lap as they watched the end of Legally Blonde with Bryn who was back on the floor and Jason who was crying and mouthing the words. Gwen broke the silence.

"C'mon I think we all need an omelet!" She exclaimed. "Now, I'm taking orders, who wants what?"

"Jase?" She asked.

"Cheese, thanks." He choked, dabbing his eyes with the scrunched up tissue.

"Bryn?"

"Ham, Pickle, Tomato and Turkey, please, Gwen." Bryn answered, repeating his usual.

"Stace?"

"Sausage if you're doing one,"

"Gav?"

"No you're alright thanks, Gwen." He muttered.

"C'mon, Gavin. You've got to eat something," She said, firmly.

Stacey sat up and whispered something quietly in his ear, then he nodded and she said:

"He'll have sausage as well."

"Okey, dokey!" She answered, walking into the kitchen, then came darting back out: "Oh, you too! There's a sale in Mama's and Papa's this week! I've been collecting coupons in the paper!"

"Oh, thanks, Mam!" Stacey said, from the couch, "I'll come and help you make them!" She gently pushed away Gavin's arm and pulled herself up.

* * *

"So where do you think we'll be... ten years from now?" Gavin asked his wife as they strolled up the beach.

"Ten years? Ooh... well we'll have three kids... because now we know you can, we can have more..." She began, but he interrupted her:

"No! Stace! Don't say that!" He said, exasperatedly. "You'll jinx it! When people say stuff like: 'Oh! Nothing can go wrong!' Or 'Everything is gonna be fine!' Something is bound to go wrong!"

Stacey laughed at him.

"Ok, we'll have three kids, a boy and two girls or a girl and two boys, and we'll live in a massive house and you'll be like the head of your business and I'll own a café on the pier and we'll have two dogs..."

"Woah!" He interrupted her again, "I'm sorry, babes! But we are not getting a dog!"

"Oh, c'mon, Gav, why not?" Stacey asked, pausing and clasping her arms around her husband's neck.

"_Stace_... you know why - they stink and they're just... dogs."

"I'll make it worth your while!" She whispered in his ear, before gently kissing him on the lips.

He groaned, "No dog" he whispered in her ear.

She laughed at him again.

"Gavin Thomas Leonardo Alexander Shipman! You will cave - I have years to turn you!"

**Or did she?**

* * *

Hi, please read and review!!!


	12. It was a Shit hole

"OK, here we go," Gavin muttered, as he pulled the hand brake up as he parked his car on the side of the road.

"This is it?" Stacey asked, disbelievingly, starting to gain some realisation as to why there were no pictures on the website.

"Holy Jesus..." Gavin breathed, as he leaned forward and joined his wife's gaze out the windscreen.

Baletine Estate's flats were not - an ideal starter home for young couples, with a friendly neighbour hood, charming residents, a whole new element of space and perfect for raising a young family.

It was the exact opposite. It was a shit hole.

Bins lay kicked over spilling rubbish onto the chewing gum filled pavement, graffiti was plastered to the side of every inch of wall - in some cases, spreading over the windows - and it was mostly inappropriate to say the least, high story prisons were piled all over the small patch of land rising about twenty stories high, and in the centre of the courtyard, a tree stood - wilting.

"Very appropriate..." Stacey murmured, gesturing towards the tree. "My God, I can't believe I'm about to this..." She added, almost silently. "C'mon then!"

"What?!" Gavin asked, disbelievingly. "No way! I'm not getting out this car... no way!"

* * *

"So, as you can see - a lot of room, a lot of light, a very spacious area, a very bright space." The Estate Agent drawled as he stood in the Living Room of the Show Flat. It was a shame that the room they were stood in bore neither of these factors and that it was literally a room with a window.

Stacey had eventually dragged her husband out their car and into the flat - but like he had said, they might as well not have bothered.

"So shall I get the papers?" He added, staring at them as his eyes bore into His phone began to ring at that moment and after he had left the room, he distinctly exclaimed. "DAMP? Then just paint it and stick a picture over it... to be honest I don't really care about the legality of it... just sort it, Brenda!"

Gavin looked at Stacey.

Stacey looked at Gavin.

"No," They stated simply.

* * *

"That was the eleventh house we've looked at!" Stacey groaned, as she crossed of another address on her list of houses.

They were sat in Gavin's car still parked in the car park as the rain lashed down onto the windscreen.

"I know, babes," Gavin replied, "But we still have..." He reached over and took the list from her, "...another _one_." He groaned and passed it back to her.

"This is getting ridiculous." She stated, dropping it on the dashboard as Gavin turned his key in the ignition. "I mean I thought getting a house for the first time would be well lush... but to be honest, it's gettin' a bit ridiculous!"

He laughed at her.

"Gavin, it's not funny! I am pregnant - with your child! This is not a perfect time to start mocking me!"

He was still smiling as they pulled out onto the road.

* * *

"Mr and Mrs Shipman?" The Estate Agent asked as Gavin and Stacey walked up the driveway.

"Yeah," They replied.

"Lovely, I'm Daffyd!" He exclaimed, shaking their hands, "Shall we go in then?" He unlocked the front door and walked in before them, Stacey gave Gavin and _Lucky number 24 _expression.

From the second she stepped inside, however, Stacey fell in love with it.

"Okay, so this is one of our more expensive properties," he began and he led them into the living room. "_But, _you _are _looking at our more deluxe properties - with this, you have a reception, a dining room, a kitchen, a conservatory, three double bedrooms, a four-pice-suite and a large garden."

He gave them the tour of the house, Stacey inwardly squeeling as she saw each new aspect of it.

As they descended the stairs and made their way back into the living room, Daffyd exclaimed: "So do you have any questions?!"

"Yeah... I do actually..." Gavin began leaning against the banister, "by more expensive... what is that?" He asked.

Daffyd shifted from one foot to the other, "Erm... £200,000." He mumbled.

Gavin and Stacey looked at each other.

"Pardon?" Gavin asked

"£200,000" Daffyd repeated, a little louder.

"Mate, I can't hear you!"

"£200,000!" He said, loudly. The colour drained from their faces.

...

* * *

It had been a week since they had looked at 12 Rosamond Avenue, and as far as Stacey was concerned, they were no where near finding a house than they were before they were married.

She was curled up watching Coronation Street when Gavin walked in the door.

"Stace?!" He called removing his jacket and placing it over the banister.

"Hiya!" She replied, as he walked into the living room. "How was your day?" She asked, switching off the tv.

"Oh, it was OK," He stated, sitting down next to her and kissing her on the lips. "I got you a present." He added, reaching into his bag and pulling out an envelope.

"Really?!" Stacey asked, astounded. "Oh, babes... thank you!" There was a pause. "What is it?"

"Open it," he answered, smiling as she opened it, pulled out the contents and looked confused.

"I don't understand." She stated, simply.

"It's the deeds," he said.

"What for?"

"12 Rosamond Avenue,"

* * *

**Ok, so just a little chapter, I'm sorry I haven't posted anything in ages, things have just been really hectic. Another one will be posted within the next week and be expecting a whole load of stuff; such as:**

**~ A baby - obviously.**

**~ Nessa's decorating skills.**

**~ A tragedy.**

**~ A new house.**

**~ What really happened on the fishing trip!**

**Thanks, Beth x**


	13. Only twenty four hours to go now, babe

"Nessa are you sure you're alright with that?" Gavin asked Nessa as he and Smithy each held one end of the sofa they were lifting.

"Oh, Gav, do you see me complaining?" Nessa retorted, spinning round, Neil the baby was strapped to her back in his baby carrier, looking slightly dazed by the entire situation as she carried an arm chair in her arms.

"No, sorry, Ness. Mate, I have to drop this!" Gavin groaned dropping his end of the couch.

"Oh, for God's Sake!" Nessa exclaimed, striding back towards Smithy and Gavin. "Smithy let go!" She barked. Then, transferring the arm chair to one hand, she effortlessly picked up the sofa then side stepped into the house.

"Are you seeing this, too?" Gavin muttered his mate.

"Yeah," Smithy replied, speechless.

"Stace?" Gavin called.

"Yeah?" She replied, appearing from the Eddie Stobart van - complementary of Nessa - with a bumper bag of pillows. Just in time for Nessa to reappear and pick up a bookcase before returning back into the house.

"How does she do that?" Smithy asked, as they watched Nessa through the front window.

"Do what?" Stacey asked, confused.

"That!" Gavin instigated, pointing through the glass and she easily lowered it to the floor.

"Oh, she's Barry's heavy weight champion, set the Welsh record Summer of 1987 with twenty three stone."

Gavin and Smithy looked at each other - only Nessa.

"C'mon then you two, we all have to help, you two are meant to be the muscle." She stated, before walking into the house.

"Sometimes, I wish you never took me to London!" Smithy muttered, pulling out a lamp. "Jesus, Gav, how much money did you spend?!"

"One thousand, five hundred, eighty seven pounds... 45 p" He answered, picking up a flat pack coffee table.

"And you're not done yet are you." Smithy stated, from the look on his best friend's face.

"No where near," he said, quietly.

"45p!" Smithy whistled and they both made their way into the house.

* * *

Stacey and Nessa were sat inside Marco's Ice Cream hut surrounded by Check Lists Stacey had made with Neil the baby asleep in his car seat, his face, top and hands completely covered in Ice Lolly.

"OK, that's pretty much everything," Stacey said, running her finger down the list in front of her. "Let's just make one last check. So... Living room?"

"Check,"

"Dining Room?"

"Check,"

"Kitchen?"

"Check,"

"Bathroom?"

"Check,"

"Bedroom A?"

"Check,"

"Bedroom B?"

"Check,"

"Bedroom C?"

"Check,"

"Lush!" Stacey exclaimed.

"Oh, Stace, it's all sorted bar one problem," Nessa paused.

"What?" She asked.

"Yours and Gav's bedroom has no bed... or wardrobe... actually, it has no furniture at all." She added, lighting up a cigarette as she spoke.

"Oh," Stacey said, taking hold of the list and writing down what it needed.

"And, Stace," She added, taking a puff.

"What?" Stacey answered as she wrote in: Mast-B: Bed. Mattress. Wardrobe. Bedside Table x 2. Dressing Table.

"You have a customer."

* * *

"Attach D to E then C to F then D to C and F to E...? I only have L and J..." Smithy muttered to himself, holding two metal brackets as he squatted on the floor of the packed living room, staring at the instructions before him.

"Oh, Smithy, here." Nessa's voice broke his depressed concentration, he looked up to see Nessa holding out a bottle of beer to him.

"Thanks," He replied and she gave him the look...

* * *

"What're you doin'?" Gavin asked as he wrapped his arms around his wife's waist. Stacey was leant against the door frame of the room that was to be their baby's bedroom, after five hours, Gavin and Smithy had finally manage to put the cot together and it stood alone in the middle of the room.

"Just thinkin'," She replied, resting her head against his shoulder.

"About what?" He added, but he'd already guessed the answer.

"That in a couple of months, we're gonna have a baby!"

"I know," was all he could come up with.

"I love you, Gavin," Stacey, said turning to face him.

"I love you, Stace," he replied, kissing her. "And, I've had an idea for a compromise." He added,

"Yeah?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck,

"If we have a boy how about his middle name's Trevor and we decide his first name something that we actually like?"

"Alright, then." Stacey agreed, kissing him again.

"Just no welsh names, though."

"What's wrong with Welsh names?!"

"Do you really want our kid to be called... Gethyn or... Arwydd?"

"Fair point."

* * *

"Ness, we need you!" Stacey called as Gavin finished zipping the case that sat on the bed, then made a feeble attempt to pull it off.

"WHY?!" She boomed as a reply.

"Heavy lifting!"

Nessa's marching footsteps echoed into the bedroom with the arrival of her stood there in only her thong.

"Holy Jesus!" Gavin exclaimed turning away.

"Oh, Gavin, you're not the only one who needs me, alright?"

"Yeah, sorry." He muttered still facing the window.

"Where?" She asked simply.

"The bed," Stacey replied, amused at the situation.

"Crackin'," she answered, picked up the suitcase with one hand and leaving the room.

"Jesus, why does she do that?" Gavin asked, turning around.

"She's Nessa."

They heard the sound of the suitcase being dropped downstairs, then Nessa's footsteps as she entered Gwen's room - which she had lent to Smithy and Nessa and was sleeping in Bryn's spare room with Neil the baby to give Nessa and Smithy a break - and exclaimed.

"C'mon then, big boy!"

Then the sound of moaning and springs creaking.

"The sooner we move in the better!" Stacey muttered, slamming the door shut.

"Only twenty-four hours to go now, babe." Gavin replied with a grin.


	14. The stain came out then?

**So sorry it's taken so long. I've just been really busy revising and everything's been so busy. So, sorry again, here's the next chapter. **

**Preston101 x x**

* * *

"Gavin!" Stacey shrieked, as she turned herself round and round in front of the mirror. "GAVIN!"

"What? What is it? What's wrong?!" He demanded, rushing into their bedroom, dressed in his boxers and Tottenham Shirt, with half his face still covered in shaving foam, his razor still clutched in his grasp.

"Gav, look!" She grinned, gesturing towards her pyjama clad stomach, which had now grown into a small bulge.

He shook his head in exasperation, a smile breaking out onto his face.

"I have a bump, Gav!" She exclaimed, as he slipped his arms around her waist.

"Yeah, you do," he stated, resting his hands on her slightly swollen belly. "And it's gonna get bigger!" He added, kissing her on the side of her head. She squealed with delight in response.

"This is so lush!" She exclaimed.

"I know," Gavin replied

They stayed like that for a few moments, before she broke away and said: "Go finish in the bathroom, I want to get going by eleven. He nodded and left the room.

"OK, I'll be ten minutes," he replied, leaving the room. Stacey looked into the mirror once more, then down to her stomach and ran her hands over it, she tore her gaze away from her reflection and took a glance around the room.

The day of them both moving into their own place had come. Now, their bedroom was going to be Jason's room as he had decided not to return to Spain. He was already picking out his new décor for the walls – Pale Citrus and Redcurrant Glory. And a new plum carpet. He'd already bought his new purple bedding, Dick Powell had offered his a very good price.

She pulled off her pyjamas and began to get dressed.

Nessa and Neil the baby had travelled down to Denbighshire to visit her Dad and Smithy had gone home for back to Billericay, leaving the last of the heavy lifting to Bryn and Gavin, no Jason, he had a job down on the pier and was working Saturdays now.

As she pulled her top over her head and zipped up her jeans, she folded up her pyjamas and slipped them inside her half open suitcase and then zipped it fully up.

* * *

"Blimey!" Bryn exclaimed, almost buckling underneath the weight of the box as he lifted it out of the boot of his Picasso and passed it to Gavin, then added. "There you go, young man!"

"Cheers, Bryn." He muttered, taking it from him and carrying it through the front door, as Bryn took another box from the boot labelled 'Gavin's Baby Photos III'

"Erm… Gavin?" Bryn began, looking from the box to Gavin then back again.

"Yeah?" He replied, not looking up.

"Why do you have so many baby pictures?"

"Because Mum bought a camera the day before I was born and took about twenty pictures a day until I was about six," he explained and Bryn nodded, knowingly.

Gavin lowered the box to the floor of the living room and taking Bryn's off him and doing the same.

"I'm going to need a break in a bit!" Bryn exclaimed, collapsing onto the sofa, which was still covered in its plastic wrapping, and mopping his brow with the handkerchief he pulled from his shirt pocket, then flopping back.

Gavin looked at him. "Do you want another Nesquick?" He asked.

"Yes, please." Bryn replied, through heavy lidded eyes.

* * *

"All done," Gavin stated, as he set the five foot giraffe onto the floor of the living room.

"All of it?" Stacey asked, as she came out of the kitchen, holding out a cup of tea to him.

"Cheers, babe," he thanked, taking a mouthful from it and setting it on top of one of the boxes. "Yeah, all of it."

She gave a squeal of delight and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her, then asked: "How's Bryn?"

She looked towards the kitchen and as she did so, Bryn and Gwen appeared, Bryn looking slightly pale and Gwen holding onto him.

"We're gonna have to get going, you two." She announced, letting go of Bryn. "OK, I've left you some eggs, ham, and a little bit of cheese so you can make yourselves a nice omelette for you teas and we've left you some tea and sugar and half a pint of milk and the rest of Bryn's straws." She sighed and pulled her daughter against her. "Oh, I never thought I'd see this – my little girl with her own house!" She let go of her, then turned to Gavin. "Now you look after her, you hear me? Don't let any harm come by her and I mean it!"

He nodded, a smile flicking across his lips. "I won't,"

Gwen nodded, swallowing back her tears. "C'mon, you, we need to get going." She directed at Bryn and he, Stacey and Gavin followed her to the front door. As they stepped outside, Bryn turned around.

"Ooh, I've waited for this day," he said, hugging Stacey and kissing her on the cheek.

"I'm gonna miss you, Uncle Bryn," She said, tears falling down her face.

"I'm gonna miss you, too. Now, you look after that little baby and make sure you make good use of my Nesquick!" He added, then moved onto Gavin. "Oh…" he began, wrapping his arms firmly around him and burying his face into his shoulder, moaning. "I am going to miss you!" He exclaimed.

"I'll miss you as well, Bryn." Gavin replied as Bryn loosened his grip on him.

"See you, then! Love you both!" And he hurried away to sit in his Picasso and started his new Leona Lewis CD, and through the windscreen, they could see him singing along to Bleeding Love.

Gwen pulled her daughter into another hug. "Oh, I love you so much," she murmured, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I love you, too," Stacey said.

"I know," She smiled, wiping her eyes. "I'll see you soon," she added, softly kissing her hair, then letting go and turning to her son-in-law. "And you look after them both," she instructed, hugging him.

"Course," Gavin replied, as she straightened up, she pulled a scrap of paper out of her handbag.

"Here." She passed it to him and explained. "It's a list of all her favourite omelettes." Then added, "I've highlighted her favourites,"

"Thanks, Gwen." He smiled, glancing down at it before putting it in his jeans pocket.

"Bye," she called, as she climbed into the car.

Gavin wrapped his arm around his wife and kissed her head.

As the car pulled away, Gavin murmured.

"C'mon," he murmured. "Don't cry."

"I'm not," She answered, wiping away the tears that had escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"I know," he said, then added. "We'll have all three of them around tomorrow, yeah? You can make them omelettes."

Stacey nodded and smiled. "C'mon, then, we have a house to un-pack."

"Finally," Gavin grinned. "It's taken three bloody years!" She laughed as they made their way inside and he shut the front door behind them.

* * *

"I'll get it," Stacey announced, as she stood up to answer the knocking on the door.

"Don't let this one in!" Gavin warned. Since three o'clock, they had had seven different neighbours and Mrs. Next door's husband had insisted on helping Gavin set up the new TV and by helping he insulted and mocked everything he did.

Stacey smiled and opened the door to have an Indian immediately thrust at her.

"Alright, Stace?" Nessa asked as she barged past her, setting Neil the baby on the floor and he crawled off.

"Ness?" Stacey asked, confused, "What are you doing here? I thought you were seeing your Dad?"

"Yeah, I was but it went to shit, so we came to see you, two, instead." She explained briefly, as Stacey shut the door. "Anyway, I brought you a Korma and Gav a Balti."

"Aww, that was nice of you," Stacey said, shutting the door.

"No." Nessa immediately stated. "I _brought _you a curry. That means I went to the shop, collected it and brought it here, you owe me £6.70. Anyway, Gav – where's he too, then?"

"Living room." Stacey answered, gesturing to the open door.

"That you, Ness?" He called.

"Maybe." She paused, trying to place the voice, "Who's that?"

* * *

"It's Gavin. You are in my house."

"Oh, well you can never be too sure. How did you know it was me?"

"Partly because of the voice. Partly because your son's just stolen my hammer."

"Cracking." She replied, striding through, pausing just before she turned in and staring at the freshly painted wall. "I see the stain came out." She noted.

"No," Stacey replied through gritted teeth as she walked through to the kitchen. "We had to re-paint it."

"Well it was Smithy" She said firmly. "Not me."


	15. Oh God, not a Pammie Special

"Well that was better than the last time," Stacey stated, as she and Gavin headed towards the exit.

"Nothing could have been worse than last time," He replied, then added. "Except Nessa's half birthday last year,"

Stacey paused as they reached the doors, and was about to disagree but decided against it, "Yeah, you're right – nothing was worse than that."

As Gavin reached out to pull open the door it was flung open on the other side, making them both jump back as a Chinese woman walked through the door, looked at Stacey then toddled towards the desk on eight inch heels.

"No!" Stacey exclaimed, staring after her. "Not another one!"

"What?" He asked, following her gaze.

"Bendy Wendy!" She stated.

"Who?" He asked, the name not ringing any bells with him.

"Bendy Wendy! I went to school with her," she explained, as she tore away her gaze and left the building. "Was eight months pregnant when we did our GCSE's had her triplets in the middle of Physics: Fion, Dion and Leon - had another one a few years later, a few more after that. This must be her… God she must be on her eighth now!"

"And why did you call her Bendy Wendy?" Gavin asked, slightly bemused as he opened the car.

"Gav, she's had eight babies by five different Dads, why do you think we called her Bendy Wendy?" She asked, looking at her husband.

"Fair point," he agreed and started the car.

* * *

"Hiya, we're back!" Stacey called as she opened her front door.

"Hiya, sweetheart, how did it go?" Pam asked, appearing from the kitchen wearing rubber gloves.

"Yeah it went fine," she answered, then added. "What's with the gloves?"

"Oh, I'm just doing a touch of cleaning," Pam replied, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Come and see,"

Both Pam and Mick had driven up to spend the weekend with Gavin and Stacey to see their new house and with them Pam had brought eight bouquets of flowers – one for each room.

"Where's Mick?" Stacey asked as she hung her bag and jacket over the banister and followed Pam into the kitchen, side-stepping the vase of bright purple fuchsias as she did so.

"Just popped out to get some milk," Pam answered, then asked. "Where's Gav?"

"Just popped out to get milk," Stacey answered.

"Oh never mind," Pam said, swatting the air. "We'll just have more milk than usual." She paused, then added. "What do you think?"

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed as she looked around her kitchen, shocked. "How long did this take?" She asked, her gaze fixed to her counter that had enamel on it when she left but was now just a dull surface.

"Well Mick was just finishing off the packing and I thought what could I do as a nice little surprise for when Gavin and Stacey come home so I thought to myself 'you could leave them a Pammie Special' so I bleached, I scrubbed, I wiped, I varnished and you're left with the piece de resistance - The Pammie Special!" She beamed, gesturing around the room.

"Aww Pam it's… lovely," Stacey replied, forcing a smile.

"I'm so glad you like it! Anyway, I need to use to girl's room, I do love your bathroom!"

Just before she left the room, Stacey called out: "Pam, did you clean the dining room?"

"No, sorry darling I didn't get that far," Pam replied as she climbed the stairs.

"Oh don't worry, you've done more than enough in here!" She said, breathing an inward sigh of relief. She waited until she heard the door slam until she whipped her mobile out of her pocket and dialled Gavin's number.

"_Hiya, what's up?"_ He asked picking up.

"Your Mum's ruined the kitchen," she said, simply.

"_Oh God, not a Pammie Special?"_

"Yep,"

"_Oh Christ,"_

"Can you bob to B&Q and get some enamel restorer?"

"_Course," _

"Oh and Gav," she added, glancing at the kitchen table. "Get some table varnish as well,"

* * *

"Lovely little place isn't it?" Mick said to his wife as he loaded the suitcase into the back of the car.

"Hmm," Pam replied, glancing up and down the road.

"What's the matter?" He asked, exasperatedly.

"Well… it's just…" She stammered, trying to find the right words.

"Just what?" He demanded.

"The house is lovely," she professed.

"So what's the problem?" He asked, confused.

"They have a curtain twitcher," she stated, nodding the window across the road and as Mick turned he saw the curtain twitch as whoever was behind it hid from view.

"Every time I go out, twitch, twitch. I mean it's awful, like your constantly being watched. I mean it's worse than having to watch Preggie Sue walking up the road with all four of her kids or watching Glen and Sheila having sex pressed up against the window I mean these people have no life!" She exclaimed.

Mick laughed and shook his head, "C'mon then, we'll get you home and you can do some of your own curtain twitching."

"Michael, I have absolutely no idea as to what you are talking about," Pam said, beginning to walk into the house, then turned and added. "But we do have to be back by eight - Maureen's coming back from her Morris Dancing by then and me and Dinah are placing bets on whether she'll bring _another _bloke back."

"Bye!" Gavin and Stacey called as they waved goodbye to Mick and Pam as their car as it rolled out the drive.

"Bye, my little prince! Bye, Stace! I'll see you soon!" Pam called leaning out the window. As it drove away they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"C'mon, babe, let's start varnishing." Gavin said, wistfully, wrapping an arm around his wife.

As they turned and began to walk inside, they heard another engine pull up, they turned back round just in time to see a Suzuki 3000 pull up in the driveway with a trailer attached to the back of it piled high with belongings.

"Who the hell is that?" Gavin asked, glancing at Stacey.

The driver climbed of and made their way up to them both with the walk that immediately said: Nessa.

"Alright, what's occurin'?" She greeted, pulling of her helmet and flicking her bob.

"Ness what's going on?" Stacey asked, gesturing towards the bike and trailer. "And where's Neil?"

"The baby?" She turned round and in a mini leather jacket and wearing a Thud Guard Helmet she revealed Neil the baby in his baby carrier strapped to her back.

"And what's with the stuff?" Gavin asked.

"Oh, I'm moving in for a bit," She said simply.

"Erm… why?" He asked.

"Because Noel's dead, and quiet rightly so his wife wants the motor home back to herself and her seven kids, it's perfectly understandable!" She replied.

"Oh Ness, I'm so sorry!" Stacey exclaimed.

"No, I'm actually quite relieved if I'm being honest. It means no more feet in my face when I'm having to share a bed with three people." She shrugged.

"No – I mean about Noel,"

"Well it was his own fault, he did jump off the pier,"

"Oh," Gavin replied, glancing at his wife.

"You can stay as long as you like!" Stacey professed, hugging her. "Can't she Gav?" She added, looking at her husband. "Gavin!"

"Yeah… 'course. I'll help you un-pack,"

"You can stay in the spare room, you and Neil - the baby. Gav'll help you unpack and I'll take Neil and stick the kettle on," She smiled.

"Cracking!" Nessa stated, passing her son to Stacey. "C'mon then, Gav, a lady can't do all this work on her own."

He gave a half hearted laugh, and then asked. "How long are you planning on staying exactly?"

"Not long," Nessa replied. "Just a few nights… Only the week… a fortnight at most…" She paused, then added. "Oh who am I kidding, the foreseeable future to be honest, Gav."

He groaned and picked up the travel cot and followed his wife indoors.

* * *

Just as the real criminal on Law and Order: UK had been revealed, Gavin asked: "Can you smell paint?"

Stacey leant up of him and sniffed the air.

"Yeah, I can." She affirmed. "Where's it coming from?"

"U…upstairs I think," he answered, standing up and heading for the stairs with Stacey following him.

As they heading for the landing, the smell of paint became more obvious and from the shut bedroom door, they could hear Nessa's booming voice singing:

"Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd, Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn i'm golwg sydd hardd; Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si…"

Gavin glanced at Stacey and she returned his gaze then opened the door.

The spare bedroom as they had known it was now gone, Neil the baby lay on his back, fast asleep on the bed, the covers had been changed from the pale duvet to Welsh Bedding with the red dragon emblazed on it. Posters of Mohammed Ali, Barack Obama and St. David were blue tacked to the wall.

Nessa hadn't heard them come in, she was stood by the wall wearing goggles and had her iPod headphones plugged into her ears and was mid way through the Welsh National Anthem as she spray painted a Welsh dragon onto the wall through a stencil.

The curtains had been changed as well, one red, one green and to top it all off, the Welsh flag was hung out the window.

"You can't be serious…" Gavin muttered to himself, the stormed from the doorway. "I'm going to bed,"

Stacey opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't get the chance.

"Stacey!" He snapped and she shut the door behind her, leaving Nessa to her decorating.


	16. He walked with me first

**Sorry, it's such a long chapter, but it's a build up to a main event. Please read and review. Love Preston 101 :D x x**

* * *

"It's like waiting for your own funeral!" Pam stated, as she pulled the curtain back to check the drive once again.

"Yes, my angel," Mick agreed as he continued polishing the coffee table, in the last three hours, he had realised it was just easier to agree with her and carry on cleaning.

"I mean he's on a different contin… you missed a bit," she began, pointing to a speck of dust on they table.

"Yes, my love," He answered, rubbing harder.

"Like I said, my son – my only son – is living on the other side of the world!" She exclaimed, waving her arms in the air.

"It's not the other side of the world, Pam, it's Wales." He said, straightening up.

"Well as a Mother it feels like he's living on the other side of the world – three weeks, Michael! I have not seen my only child in three weeks!" She snapped, then paused, watching closely as he replaced the vase and magazines onto the table.

"Fan them," she ordered, watching he fanned out the magazines. "Anyway, I've been thinking we should adopt, you know a little Indian or Chinese one!" She continued, "What do you think?"

"Pam, don't be absolutely ridiculous! I'm fifty eight, your fifty-six! When it'd turn eighteen you'd be seventy four! That's absolutely ridiculous!"

"Well maybe you're right," She murmured, more to herself than her husband.

"Anyway, give it a few months and you'll have your first grandchild!" He added, trying to cheer her up.

"Have you not been listening?" She demanded, incredulously. "This is precisely my point! It will be worse when the baby's born because then both my son and my grandchild will be living in another bloody country!"

"Oh for the love of Mike…" Mick muttered, under his breath.

There was suddenly a loud honk as Gavin's blue Citroen pulled up outside.

"Oh my Christ!" She exclaimed, standing up and making a bid for the door, pushing her husband out of the way as she did so. "They're here! Mick, they're here!"

* * *

"Are you going to see your Daddy?" Stacey asked, as she lifted Neil the baby out of the car.

"Smithy'll be here in five," Gavin said, putting his phone away as he lifted their cases out the boot and closed it.

Suddenly, the front door burst open and Pam came running out.

"GAVIN, STACEY!" She screamed, throwing herself at her son, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh my little Prince, I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Mum," he replied, hugging her back and kissing her on the cheek.

"You too, Stacey," she insisted, catching hold of Stacey and hugging them both. "God I missed the pair of you!"

"Hiya, you two," Mick smiled, coming to the door.

"What took you so bloody long?" Pam asked, turning to her husband.

"You pushed me to the floor, Pam and knocked over your wine," He stated.

"Is it cleaned up?" She checked, turning to face him.

"Yes,"

"Then why are you complaining?"

"I wasn't I just…" He began in an attempt to defend himself but Pam cut him short.

"Michael! Stop being such a mardy arse and help Gavin with the bags!" She insisted.

"Yes, love," he answered, turning to his son and daughter-in-law.

"C'mon in then you two, no point standing out in the cold!" She said then turned to Neil. "Hello my darling, give him here, Stace," she added and Stacey passed her god-son into her arms. "How are you, sweetheart? I haven't seen you in such a long time!" She cooed, carrying him indoors.

After Mick had hugged them both and picked up the bags there was a loud pomp and they turned to see Smithy's car pull up on the pavement.

"GAVALAR!" He shouted, climbing out of the car and doing the robot towards his best mate.

"Smithstar!" Gavin replied, copying him and then as they met in the middle, Smithy threw his arms around him.

"Snooker Loopy!" He exclaimed, grinning.

"Stacarini! Michael!" He added, hugging them both in turn. "Where's my boy?"

"Mum has him," Gavin answered, picking the suitcase back up.

* * *

"So I should be back before one, half one at the latest," Gavin stated, as he picked up his wallet and phone from the kitchen counter.

"So who's goin'?" Stacey asked, rolling Neil's car back towards him.

"Just the lads," he shrugged, pulling on his jacket, "except Gary and Simon,"

"Why not them?" She added.

"Can't come, they have flu," He grimaced.

"Oh – poor them," she sympathised.

"You will be careful, won't you?" She asked, standing up.

"'Course I will, come 'ere," He said, holding out his arms and hugging her. "I'm only going into town I can be back in twenty minutes if you need anything, yeah?" He said, kissing her.

"I know, but just be careful y'know, by roads and gangs and prostitutes."

"Prostitutes?" He asked, incredulously.

"Yeah, you know, lots of them carry knives."

"Okay," he laughed and kissed her.

"Oh not again," she groaned, pulling away from him.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I need the loo – that's the fifth time in two hours! I think the baby's using my bladder as a squeeze toy! Watch Neil, will you?" She stated, leaving the room and heading for the stairs.

"Sure," he replied, kneeling down on the floor by the baby. "Hiya, mate," he smiled, running a hand through his hair and picking him up and cuddling him. "Are we going to see if you can stand up properly?" He asked, and Neil looked at him giving him a smile, showing his baby teeth.

"Okay then, ready?" He stood him on the floor. "OK, one… two… three!" And he let go of him and, immediately, Neil collapsed on the floor.

"OK then, maybe not." He said.

Pushing himself back onto his bottom. He suddenly, caught hold of the coffee table and shakily hoisted himself up, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on Gavin.

"Oh my God," he muttered, as he watched him. "Good boy!" He grinned, as Neil held himself up and then shakily began to walk towards his God Father. "C'mon, mate! That's it!" After a tense few seconds, he finally made it to Gavin's outstretched arms.

Speechless, he picked him up. "Did you just walk?" He asked him, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride. "Did you just walk for your Uncle Gavin?"

"What's goin' on?" Smithy asked, walking into the room.

"You'll never guess what he just did!"

"Aww, what?" Smithy asked, looking deflated, "did he stand up? God, his first smile was with Stacey, he first rolled over with Mum and Rudi, he first sat up with Dave – I mean c'mon, Dave! His first word was with Nessa…"

"I don't think Argubugoo counts as his first word, Smith."

"Don't be smart, Gavin. What did he do?"

Gavin was about to tell him he'd just walked, but the look on his mate's face, he said: "Yeah… he just stood up," he held him out to Smithy. "Anyway, he wants his Dad."

"Do you want your Daddy?" Smithy asked, holding his son close to him and kissing his forehead. "Is Daddy taking you to Nana Cath's? Are you going to have fun?" He cooed. "Gav, anyway, the cab's here." He added, walking into the hall.

"OK," Gavin replied, following him. "Babe, we're going!" He called to Stacey as Smithy picked up Neil's bag and left.

"Wait, I'm here," she replied, coming down the stairs.

"Tell Mum I said, goodbye." He said, kissing her. "Have a nice night,"

"But you didn't," She answered,

"What?" He asked, pausing in the doorframe.

"You didn't say goodbye," She enlightened.

"Well… she doesn't need to know that!" He grinned.

She smiled at him. "You too, don't get too drunk,"

"I won't, love you."

"Love you, too." She replied, walking to the door and closing it behind him.

* * *

"So when's your due date, darling?" Dawn asked, as she and Pam turned to Stacey.

"March 13th," She smiled.

"So how far gone?"

"Erm… November 11th… just under five months, dead excited I am!"

"Aww, it's an amazing feeling, Stace," Dawn said, "the first time you hold them."

"For me, it was like holding baby Jesus," Pam added, smiling to herself at the memory. "He was ginger you know, Stace, when he was first born – but then it all fell out and came back black,"

"I know, I've seen the pictures – what are the chances?"

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Pam inputted.

"I want a little girl and Gav wants a little boy," Stacey replied, sipping her tea. "But to be honest with you, I'm not really that bothered, just as long as it's mine,"

"Aww, that's nice." Pam said, draining her glass of wine. "Top up, Dawny?"

"Go on then, Pammie," She agreed, passing her, her glass. "You need to work very hard at your relationship, though, Stace." She warned. "After Alex was born we didn't speak for nearly a month, God he was a right little knob!"

"Who was?" Pam asked, sitting back down and passing Dawn her full glass.

"Pete, little shit he was. You see, Stace, he wanted a girl first." She explained, "He sulked for about a week - didn't you, you arsehole?" She directed at her husband as he and Mick entered through the French doors.

"What have I done now?" He asked coming up to his wife.

"What haven't you done, you short arsed turd!" She retorted, staring at him in disgust. "Call yourself a bloody Father, you've barely spoken to either of your children the past week!"

"I've not spoken to them because you tell them to go to their rooms every time I walk into the room!" He insisted, glaring at her.

"So, are you calling it off then?" Pam inquired, looking sympathetically at her friend.

"Am I hell, the amount we've forked out?" She replied, "No we're still going along with it aren't we?"

"Yes love," Pete answered, stony faced.

"Don't 'yes love' me, you arrogant little prick!" She spat, taking another mouthful of wine.

"What aren't you calling off?" Stacey asked, looking from Pete back towards Dawn.

"My fifty-fifth birthday party," Pete smiled, his face lighting up.

"Look at him – like a bloody child." Dawn commented, glaring at her husband with disgust.

"You see, darlin', his Lordship wanted to have the spotlight on him so he demands a birthday party, about three hundred quid later, we're no where near finished planning it" She explained, then added. "Are we, you arsehole?"

"I think it's time we were going," Pete stated, looking ashen faced as he rose out of his chair. "Mick, I'll see you tomorrow," he said, shaking his hand. "Pam, thank you for a nice evening." He added, kissing her cheek. "It was lovely to see you, Stace. Say hi to Gav for me." He concluded kissing Stacey on the cheek. "You." He directed at his wife. "I'll wait in the car. If you're not there in ten minutes, I'm going home – get the bus. Goodbye everyone."

As he left the room, silence ensued.

"Dawn, shouldn't you go after him?" Pam asked.

"Should I hell, he'll be there all night - doesn't have the bloody bottle to leave."

"I'm gonna go up to bed," Stacey decided, standing up.

"Are you sure darling?" Pam asked.

"Yeah, I'm really tired – night everyone."

"Night," They replied.

As she closed the living room door behind herself, she heard Dawn's voice seep through the wood. "Lovely girl, isn't she? She'll be an amazing Mum."

Smiling to herself, she ascended the stairs.

* * *

Shortly before three o'clock the next morning, Stacey was woken by her phone ringing, she rolled over her husband's still empty side of the bed and picked it up, seeing his number, she flicked it open.

"Gav?" She said, into the phone.

"Stace?" She heard, in reply.

"Smithy?" She asked, "Where's Gav?"

"We're outside, can you let us in?"

"Yeah, hang on." She hung up and headed for the front door, opening it.

"Alright, Stace?" Smithy asked, backing into the hallway as she opened it.

"Hiya, Stace," Budgie grinned, coming in as, between them, they carried Gavin through the threshold.

"Oh for God's sake," she muttered to herself. "Smithy! When I said 'don't let him get completely flat out,' that means don't let him pass out!" She snapped.

"Sorry," he apologised.

"Where do you want him?" Budgie asked.

"Put him on the sofa." She answered, nodding towards the living room.

As the two of them dropped him on the sofa, they turned to her.

"We'll let ourselves out." Budgie said, "Sorry, Stace, it was Deano's fault, anyway, congrats about the baby."

"Thanks, Budgie, see you." She replied as he walked out.

"See you, tomorrow," Smithy added, hugging her.

"Give Neil a kiss for me," she said, letting him go.

"Guess what?" He said.

"What?" She replied.

"My boy walked!" He grinned.

"Oh that's fantastic!" She smiled, "Good for him!"

"I know, he did it with me as well – when we dropped him off at Mum's," He explained, "Bye," He said, hugging her again as he to left, and she shut the door behind him.

As she eased his jacket off him, he stirred slightly.

"Stacey?" He mumbled, still half asleep.

"Shh, sleep it off, Gav." She replied, slipping one of the cushions underneath his head and draping the blanket that hung over the back of the settee over him.

"He walked with me first," he stated, then added, "Love you, baby." Then fell back asleep. "


	17. He never even saw it

**Tragedies you expect to happen never seem to take place. It's when you don't expect it that you do. Like when you don't expect to fall down the stairs but you do or how you expect to see someone you know, but don't it was a similar situation for Gavin and Stacey…**

* * *

"O'righ, Gav, what's occurin'?" Nessa asked, as she waddled into the kitchen in her dressing gown.

"Just brewing up, want one?" He replied, as he dropped a tea bag into the two mugs that stood on the counter.

"No, you're alright. I'm having an early lunch, well a brunch, well actually, I'm just going out for breakfast."

There was a pause.

"Actually go on then, yeah," she added, changing her mind.

"Does Neil want anything?" He asked, reaching into the cupboard and pulling out another cup.

"The baby? Yeah, could you do him a cappuccino? He had a bit of a rough night last night - didn't have too much room."

He turned to look at her to see if she was serious, but she was Nessa of course she was serious.

"I'll just do him milk," he said.

"Crackin'," She replied, reaching for her mug as soon as he had poured it.

"Careful it's…" he began, but as he watched her down it, he gave up.

She set it down then called out. "OH, NEIL! YOUR MILK'S READY!"

"Ness, I don't think he'll…" Gavin began again, but sure enough, there came a patter of little feet and then a number of thumps and Neil the baby appeared at the bottom of the stairs in his West Ham Sleep suit.

"Unbelievable," he muttered to himself as he turned to pour the milk into his bottle then passed it to Nessa who passed it to her son.

"Oh, you have about ten minutes before you've got to get dressed or we'll be late meeting up with Uncle Gethin, alright?" She said, and he gave her a grin and toddled away.

"Who's Gethin?" Gavin asked, leaning back against the kitchen counter as he finished off his toast and drank his tea.

"Jones." She replied simply as she washed her mug out in the sink.

"As in the presenter?" He said, disbelievingly.

"Who else?" She asked, then added. "Here I'll do your mug and plate, just leave them there when you're done."

"Cheers, Ness." He said, finishing off the last crust and downing the last of his tea. "I'll take this up for Stace, then I'll be off. You still takin' the bus down to Mum's?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"How's Smithy taking it?" He asked, "you and his son being on the same bus as your ex husband?"

After a few more weeks of Dawn and Pete arguing, the day of Pete's birthday party had arrived and everyone had been invited, including Dave, who was driving down in his bus and taking Stacey, Nessa, Neil the baby, Gwen and Jason down to Billericay for the do.

"Fiancée, Gav, Ex Fiancée, and to tell you the truth, he doesn't know and I'd like to keep it that way. Alright?" She said, as she continued doing the dishes.

"Sure,"

"Tidy,"

* * *

"Here you go, Stace," Gavin said, passing the tea to Stacey.

"Aww, thanks babe," she said, taking it off him and setting it on her bedside table.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait and I'll give you a lift after work?" He asked,

"No, I'll go down with the others; you'll be fine with Uncle Bryn, won't you?"

"Yeah,"

"Mam says he's really looking forward to it, apparently, he's made a CD with his favourite songs on for the journey and he's packing a picnic," she stated.

"Alright, I have to get goin'," he said, reaching for his suit jacket.

"OK, be careful," she said turning to him and adding as she straightened his shoulders. "I'll see you tonight,"

"Love you," he replied kissing her, "and you," he added, kissing his hand then resting it briefly on her bulging tummy.

"Love you too, now go on or you'll be late," She insisted, and with one final kiss on the cheek, he left the room and headed down the stairs.

"Bye, Ness," he said, as he passed her as she was coming up the stairs with Neil in her arms, "See ya, mate," he added, to Neil who waved at him.

"Crackin' bloke you've got there, Stace, crackin'," Nessa commented as she passed their bedroom.

"The best," she agreed.

* * *

With Neil the baby sat on her knee playing a game of 'switch the dummy', Nessa began applying her nicotine patches to her shoulder, as Gwen and Jason hurried towards her trundling their cases behind them.

"Hiya, Ness!" Gwen called, waving to her.

"Stupid smoking ban…" she muttered to herself, before she looked up. "Alright, Gwen? What's occurin'?," She asked, setting her son on the floor and strode towards them.

"Sorry we're late!" She panted, clutching her side, "I've just had Stacey on the phone, apparently we're late."

"No," Nessa stated, taking a puff on her nicotine stick. "I just told her that so you'd hurry up – I'm bored – and hungry."

"Oh," Gwen replied, looking deflated. "Where's she too?"

"Toilets, baby using her bladder as a squeeze toy, apparently." She said, then called out. "Oh, Jason! My Step-daughter can run faster than you and she's been sectioned because she's morbidly obese!"

"Sorry…" He panted, reaching them and leaning against his suitcase for support. "Ran… as… fast…" he puffed, but she interrupted him.

"Oh, shut up, you're annoying me."

"Are we ready to go?" Stacey asked, appearing from the toilets.

"Apparently," Nessa replied. "Come on then."

They began to walk towards the bus, then she added, "After two more fags."

"I'll take Neil and get on," Stacey announced, taking hold of his hand. "C'mon, sweetheart," she said, taking her case in the other hand.

"Alright, love," Gwen replied as she sat down next to Nessa on the wall and Jason headed to the toilets.

* * *

"Hiya, Dave," Stacey smiled, as she made her way to the bus.

"Alright, Stace?" He asked, standing on his cigarette, he bent down in front of Neil.

"Hiya, Neil," he smiled, running a hand through his hair as he took in his West Ham shirt, how much he looked like Smithy and the fact he was walking. "Can I have a hug?" He asked, but Neil shook his head and gave him a grin.

"He's just tired," Stacey lied seeing how hurt he looked, she picked Neil up as Dave stuck her case in the side of the coach."

"How have things been?" He asked, nodding to her bump. "I heard you were up the duff. Things work out OK in the end then?"

"I guess they did, yeah," she smiled.

"Where is Gav?" He said, looking up and down the pier.

"Working," she replied, "he's driving Bryn up tonight,"

"And how's Ness?"

"She's fine."

"And… err, Smithy, how's he?"

"Same really," Stacey shrugged.

"How long's he been walking and that?" He added, nodding to Neil.

"Not long, just a few weeks, you been invited too then? To Pete's do?"

"Yeah, God knows why!" He stated, "Look, Stace, I've got to go, other passengers are coming. I'll see you later," and he walked away.

"C'mon, babe," she directed at Neil the baby. "Wait for your Mummy, eh?"

As she walked to the back of the coach, Neil faced over her shoulder watching Dave watch him.

* * *

"Bryn, c'mon, we need to get going!" Gavin called, as he stood at his Uncle-in-law's front door.

"I'm coming, young man! I'm just getting my Nesquick!" Bryn replied from the kitchen.

"OK, I'll wait in the car." He said, walking towards his Citroen and climbing in.

Ten minutes later, he and Bryn were heading down the M4 with Bryn's compilation of 'Songs for my road trip with Gav played out."

"…You've been hit by, you've been struck by – a Smooth Criminal!" Bryn concluded as the song finished. "Oh that is a cracking song that is," he smiled, I think I need a Capri Sun after that, would you care to join me, my little Cockney Sparrah?" He asked in his London accent.

"No thanks, Bryn, I'm Ok,"

As the instrumental began to die out the song changed and Last Request by Paulo Nutini came on.

Gavin smiled to himself as the memory of his first time with Stacey filled his head.

"Oh, this isn't a very good road trip song!" Bryn stated, leaning forward to change it.

"No, leave it on." Gavin said, and Bryn leant back in his seat.

"It is a very good song though, isn't it?"

"This was on the radio in the hotel the first time me and Stacey…" he began but stopped himself just in time.

"The first time you what?" Bryn asked looking at him.

"First time we met." He concluded, and they sat in silence as the song played with Bryn sipping his Capri Sun.

'See The World' by James Rea was playing by the time Bryn opened his tuppa-wear box and brought out a knife and fork revealing a cheese omelette.

"Would you like some Gavin?" He asked offering it to him. Momentarily, he glanced towards the box and then back to the road before him.

"No, you're alright, mate. I don't eat when I'm driving." He stated, keeping his eyes on the road before him.

They had passed the toll bridge about ten minutes earlier, when Chasing Cars was playing.

"Stacey walked down the aisle to this!" Bryn said, fondly. "The best day of my life that!" He added, reaching around in his plastic bag and pulling out an apple.

"Yeah, mine too." Gavin replied, a smile breaking out onto his lips.

"Check this out, Gav!" Bryn grinned, as he began to bounce the apple off his arm.

"Bryn not in the car!" He said, firmly, glancing at him.

Just as he spoke the apple bounced off Bryn's arm and fell into the foot well of where he was driving.

"Oops!" Bryn exclaimed, leaning over and reaching down to try and retrieve it.

"Bryn, leave it! I'll stop there's a service station coming up I'll pull in there," Gavin told him.

"No, it's fine…" Bryn began, as he began to feel around for his apple.

"Bryn, seriously, get up!" He repeated.

"No, I've nearly got it!" He insisted, "I just can't see it all to well 'cos you're seatbelt's in the way," and as he spoke he undid it.

"No, Bryn get up now!" Gavin pleaded, looking down at him desperately.

"Got it!" Bryn shouted, triumphantly. But by then, it was too late.

A loud pomping alerted Gavin back to his senses and as he looked up. He realised he'd been drifting into the oncoming traffic.

"SHIT!" He exclaimed, as he began desperately swerving out the way, and made it just in time. Only, he didn't look to the other side of the road, he didn't see the lorry coming towards him, in fact, he only saw the face of the petrified driver as it ploughed at 80 mph, into the side of his car…

* * *

**Across every radio station the same announcement was being said;**

**"_And you'd be better avoiding the M4, as there has been an accident leading to a major pile up."_**

**"_We have Brian on line 1, what's the news Brian? 'There's a huge traffic jam on the M4, you're better avoiding it!"_**

**_"Ar yr M4 mae wedi bod yn damweiniau ac mae'n well osgoi!"_**

**Two languages, over fifty different stations, all telling you to avoid it… but none of them revealing the fate of Gavin Shipman or Bryn West…**


	18. What really happened on the Fishing Trip

**Sorry it's taken a few days, please read and review.**

* * *

How are you feeling, young man?" Bryn asked, as he climbed into the back of the ambulance, his tinfoil blanket and sat beside Gavin.

"I'm doing OK, Bryn," He replied, weakly, pulling his oxygen mask away from his mouth so he could talk.

Bryn looked his nephew-in-law up and down as he lay on the stretcher, taking in his frailty, before adding. "I'm so sorry, Gavin,"

"W…wasn't your fault, Bryn." He gasped, as he struggled for breath.

"Put it back on!" Bryn said, moving it back towards his mouth.

"I'm scared, Bryn," Gavin whispered, a few moments later, removing the mask as he spoke then replacing it again.

"No, now you listen here and you listen good!" Bryn leant closer to him and taking hold of his hand. "I'm here with you, we are going to get you to hospital and everything is going to be fine!" Then he added. "Now you just keep talking to me, you hear me? You just keep talking!"

"Tell me a secret," He demanded, "Something no one else knows – not even Stacey!"

Gavin looked at him, "I don't like omelettes," he answered.

Bryn smiled, "Well, I never," he paused, "Now me I suppose… I should tell you what really happened on The Fishing Trip…" He swallowed, preparing himself after all these years to bring the events out into the open.

"Bryn… you don't have to." Gavin protested, weakly, part of him not wanting to know.

"No, no." Bryn insisted, "It needs to be told, Gavin." He swallowed once more. "Well, I suppose it starts at the beginning," he began. "July 24th 1977, I was just sixteen years old, you see and Trevor, God rest his soul, Trevor, had just found out Gwen was pregnant with Jason and if I'm honest, he went off the rails… burglaries, orgies, fights, what have you. And he tried to get me to go along with him. Cheated on Gwen he did," He paused.

"Anyway, we went to Cardiff to a club – Pixies. Where we met two girls – Delores and Stacey… we each went off together, me with Delores and Trevor with Stacey. They went on to have an affair, they did Gav. Stacey's named after her. Promise you won't tell, Gwen?" He added, "It would destroy her, Gavin,"

Gavin nodded, silently as Bryn resumed his story.

"We each got a room at the Dog and Arms. So Trevor and Stacey went off to do the dirty in their room and I was left with Delores in mine… but, I couldn't do it, Gavin. I felt physically repulsed by her, so after a while, she got bored and went to join Trevor and Stacey. For years, I couldn't understand why. But it came to me just after my nineteenth birthday, sort of like an epiphany. 'Cos you see, Gav, I'm gay."

Gavin smiled in response, "Bryn, I've known that since I met you," he replied.

"Oh heck," Bryn replied quietly, and continued. "For years, I kept it secret. Until Jason came to me when he was eighteen and told me he thought he might be gay." He smiled, wistfully,

"Well of course, I rang, Trevor, and he came over and Jason told him. Hit the roof he did, Gavin. Started shouting at him, calling him all sorts of horrible, horrible names. I couldn't stand by and let him do that, so, before I knew it, I told him to shut 'the fuck up,' – still to this day I can't believe I did that – and said there was nothing wrong with it, because I was gay too." He paused for a moment, and continued.

"Jason moved to Spain a few months later and I always blamed myself. But Trevor, God rest his soul, accepted him and forgave me… a few months later, he was diagnosed with cancer. He died about a year after that." Tears rolled down his cheeks and he gave a little chuckle. "Oh look at me," he said, wiping his eyes, "what am I like,"

"You're a great man," Gavin answered, truthfully. "It doesn't matter if you're gay or straight, you're a great man,"

Bryn swallowed and squeezed Gavin's hand. "Thank you, Gavin." He replied and added. "It was the fishing trip that ruined it all."

"It was the anniversary of Trevor's death, five years. Jason comes back, every year, it was a particularly messy year, so I said I'd take him fishing, because Gwen was taking Stacey to see her Nana in Penarth. Now, we had been there about three days, when the coldest winds in twenty years arrived. We booked into a hotel when the tents collapsed. But it was still cold, Gavin, so cold. The room had Sky, and I was flicking channels when I found, how shall I put it? An adult programme, for people like myself and Jason."

"Gay Porn?" Gavin checked,

"Yes, Gavin, but there's no need to be crude," Bryn stated.

"Sorry," he apologised, "carry on,"

"The owner of the hotel had made a big vat of soup and insisted we all take some up to bed with us." He carried on, then added. "Leek and Potato it was, all nice and frothy – absolutely spectacular."

"Anyway, this show was getting a bit frisky and the room seemed to get colder and colder, so I put my mug on my tummy to see if that would way me up. There was a loud crash from outside and it made me jump, spilling my soup all down my pyjamas. I completely forgot about the movie and tried to clear it up…"

Finally, realisation dawning on Gavin, he interrupted, "When Jason walked in."

"Precisely… and he saw. Well, he saw what he wanted to see and immediately he jumped to conclusions. But… Oh, just the look on his face Gavin! I will never forget that. He wouldn't listen to what had really happen. We drove back the next morning, the entire situation was just so awkward, I was ashamed of myself. I mean what would Trevor have said? Or my Mother? I tried to black it out and the only way to do that was to shut Jason out and we didn't speak properly for nearly four years." He concluded.

Silence ensued. "To be honest, Bryn I was expecting a lot worse." Gavin told him.

"Well it feels good to get it off my chest," Bryn confessed, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm really cold, Bryn, I'm so cold," He replied, truthfully. Bryn immediately stood up.

"I'll get a Paramedic to come and see to you, I'll just be a minute." He said, but Gavin spoke out before he could move.

"No, Bryn, please don't leave me on my own!" He begged, "look listen. Tell Stace…" he groaned out. "Tell Stacey, that she made me the happiest man alive." He paused, then added. "And tell her I'm sorry, tell her I'm so sorry,"

"C'mon, what have you got to be sorry about?" Bryn asked, sitting back down.

"I'm sorry because I don't think I'm gonna see my baby," he replied, as he struggled more and more to keep his eyelids open.

"No, Gavin, I won't stand for this talk!" Bryn ordered, "now you listen here, and you listen good. You will be fine! And you will see your little baby and you will see Stacey and you'll have more children and you'll be fine."

Gavin continued, ignoring Bryn's interruption. "Promise me you'll look after them both? Promise?"

Bryn shook his head. "No, I refuse to have anything to do with either of them!" He insisted, "So you have no choice but to stay!"

"Promise me you'll be as good Uncle to my kid as you've been to Stacey, 'cos I know if I don't make this, they'll be safe with you," he concluded.

Bryn looked at him and nodded. "I promise,"

Gavin smiled, weakly, and unable to fight it anymore he let the blackness engulf him…


	19. It's a boy?

"OK then, Daddy puts the money in," Smithy said to his son as he held him with one hand and rolled the 50p in with the other. "Now we press the buttons," he added, pushing the buttons and allowing the chocolate bar to drop to the hatch. "And there you go," he concluded, lowering him to the floor and passing him the chocolate.

Neil the baby looked up at him with his dummy in his mouth, and passed it back to him after attempting to pull to wrapper off.

"Wait 'til we get back to Mummy," he told him, just as Stacey came round the corner. "Actually, here you go," he added, quickly, undoing it for him and handing it back to him.

He hurried towards her, his hand on his son's back, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey…" He murmured, as a fresh wave of tears overcame her and she began crying into his shoulder. "It's OK, it's gonna be fine." He soothed, trying to fight the urge to cry himself, he looked down at his son, who stood looking up at them, confused.

"He doesn't understand," Smithy said, a few minutes later as they sat on the plastic chairs.

"He's not meant to," she replied, stroking her god son's hair as he sat on her knee.

Smithy, Pam, Mick, Stacey, Bryn, Gwen, Nessa, Neil the baby and Jason had been at the hospital for the best part of four hours, waiting.

"How're you doing?" He asked, gently.

"I just needed to get away, it's killing me not knowing how he is," she looked at him, "How are you doing?"

"Don't bother about me," he insisted, "I'll be fine, I'm Smithy, I'm always fine," he smiled, weakly at her, and she smiled back. "C'mon let's get back," he added. Standing up, clutching Neil's cardigan in his grasp.

They had just been ready to set off for Pete's party when they got a phone call from Bryn who was at the hospital saying that they'd crashed and Gavin had gone into surgery, they had all rushed down - including Dave; much to Smithy's disgust – and had been waiting ever since.

* * *

"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in our hour of death. Amen," Pam whispered to herself over and over again as she recited what she knew of the Hail Mary.

"Oh, Pam, I'm not being funny, but that's not helping anybody." Nessa exclaimed, "I mean you're not even Catholic!"

"Ness, leave it!" Stacey pleaded, looking up at her, but she ignored her.

"For your information, Vanessa, the Hail Mary is of the Anglican Denomination which is Christian! And I have been Christian since I was born so… up yours!" She replied, angrily.

"Please, Pam, for, Gav," Stacey tried again, but she was again ignored.

"Actually, Pam, Nessa's right – it's Catholic," Mick informed her, "But Stacey's right, please both of you stop!" He added,

"Michael will you shut up?" She snapped. "I am trying to pray for our son's life, while you are just sitting there!" She suddenly stood up and called up to the ceiling.

"Do you hear me, Lord? I am repenting my sins and wish to change to Catholicsism!" Then she sat back down, "Is everyone happy now?" She asked, sarcastically.

"It's actually Catholicism," Nessa replied, taking a drag of her nicotine stick. "And only a Priest can officially make you Catholic and you need the Holy Water to wash away your sins and… you have to attend classes."

"Nessa, love, that's enough – this isn't the place" Gwen begged, but now nothing was stopping either of them and they continued their arguing despite the protests of everyone.

"What the hell would you know about it?" Pam demanded, jumping back up.

"Please, can we all calm down!" Bryn pleaded, looking up at them both.

"Oh! Pam, don't come smart with me, I was the PA to Pope John Paul II, I only quit because he died." She replied, squaring up to her, then paused and added. "Crackin' funeral that was, lovely little fella', never seen so many people so distraught in the same place,"

Suddenly, Stacey let out a cry of pain and clutched her stomach in agony.

"Stacey?" Gwen exclaimed, rushing towards her daughter. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

"I… I… think it's the baby…" she gasped then let out another cry.

"Oh my Christ!" Pam exclaimed, "Why are you testing us like this, you bastard?" She demanded, staring up at the ceiling once more, then hurrying to her daughter-in-law's side. "It's alright, petal," then barked. "Mick will you go and find a doctor?"

"Oh, out of my way, I'm a qualified midwife." Nessa ordered. "O'right, Stace? Where does it hurt?"

Pam took one look at Nessa, then turned to her husband and snapped. "Michael what are you still doing here? Go and find the bloody doctor!"

"I'll come with you," Smithy announced, standing up and following.

"Me too," Jason added, following Smithy.

* * *

_Not the baby… please not the baby… we've come too far… please not the baby, _Stacey thought over and over again as she lay awaiting a scan.

Gwen held tightly on her hand, telling her over and over again that everything was going to be fine, but she wasn't listening.

Everything had seemed to come crashing down in the space of six hours. To Stacey, it seemed like another world away that less than eighteen hours earlier, it had just been a typical Thursday morning. But now, she didn't have a clue if her husband or baby were dead or alive.

As the nurse re-entered the room, the simple task of spreading the gel across her stomach seemed to take hours.

"OK now here we go," She said, picking up the monitor and moving across her tummy with it.

Both Gwen and Stacey kept their gaze fixated on screen.

"Just give it a minute…" She added, spreading it further.

There was no heartbeat.

"No…" Stacey whispered, both terrified and full of disbelief. "Please, no,"

"Stace…" she breathed, at a loss of what to say, looking from the screen, to the nurse, to Stacey and back again.

"I want Gavin," she murmured to her Mum, tears beginning to leak out her eyes and roll down her cheeks.

Then, finally, came the sound of a heartbeat.

"Oh God," She gasped, tears of relief beginning to fall down her cheeks.

"Yes… everything's healthy." The nurse stated, surveying the screen. "The pain is probably just stress related – you just need to try and calm down,"

"You're sure it's OK?" Stacey asked, desperately.

"Yes, he's a very healthy baby," The nurse answered, looking at the screen once more.

"It's a boy?" Stacey and Gwen asked at the same time.

"Oh, sorry, did you not want to know?" The nurse said, quickly.

"No, no it's fine." She said, then looked to her Mum. "It's a boy, Mum, I'm having a little boy," she smiled.

There came a sudden scream from outside in the corridor, then the door burst open and Pam exclaimed.

"Stacey! Gwen! He's out of surgery! We can see him!"

* * *

"He's a lucky man," the doctor stated, filling in Gavin's progress chart.

"Oh, skaghead!" Nessa retorted, "He doesn't look that lucky to any of us. How is he lucky?"

"Well, we managed to stop the internal bleeding. He's not dead. He'll be able to walk and the only bone damage he has in bruising and a broken elbow." He answered, not looking up.

"Tidy," She said, not wanting to admit she lost the argument, taking a drag on her nicotine stick.

"He's stable now, so we just have to wait until he wakes up."

"Thank you for everything you did," Stacey smiled.

"Your welcome," he replied, "I was only doing my job." Then added. "Have a nice night," and left the room.

"I wonder why they always say that?" Jason said, "I mean it's obvious we're not gonna have a nice night, but they still say it."

"It's probably in the job description." Smithy shrugged, leaning against the window and readjusting a sleeping Neil, the baby, in his arms.

"Alright, so what's occurring?" Dave asked and everyone looked at him. "Who am I taking back to Pam and Mick's?"

"I'll take Neil, the baby, back." Nessa said, taking him off Smithy.

"Stace, do you want me to stay?" Gwen asked her daughter.

Stacey shook her head. "No, it's fine, you go back – I'll ring you when he wakes up," Stacey told her, standing up and hugging her.

"I'll go back with you, Mam," Jason added, hugging Stacey. "Call us," he instructed.

"Oh, Smithy, you coming?" Nessa asked.

He shook his head, "No, I think I'll stay, I want to be here when he wakes up,"

"Bryn?"

"Yes," he said, "I need a Nesquick."

"Tidy," Nessa replied. "So we're all done and dusted, kippers and custard."

"Bye Pam, bye Mick, bye Smithy," Gwen said, hugging each of them in turn.

"Thanks for what you did, Uncle Bryn," Stacey said, hugging him.

He swallowed, awkwardly and hugged her back, _if only she knew the entire thing was your fault, no one would be thanking you then, _he thought.

"Yes, thank you so much, Bryne," Pam agreed and the room went quiet.

"Now remember, call us the second there's any change!" Gwen insisted, quickly breaking the silence, and they left.

Mick waited a few seconds until they were out of earshot before hissing. "Pam, it's Bryn, you've known the man three years!"

"Shut up, I know what his name is, I am just awake deprived – I need caffeine and I am food deprived – I need food," She explained, please, Michael, I will wait with Gavin and Stacey you and Smithy go and get some," She turned to Smithy, "Darling, would you mind going and getting some food? Or do you want to stay here?" She asked, gently.

"No, it's fine, I fancy a Shepherd Pie and chips…" he paused, "and a burger… and maybe a steak."

* * *

It was five past three the following morning when Gavin eventually woke up.

"Stace…" he groaned, reaching out blindly as his blurred vision began to clear.

"Gav, mate, it's Smithy!" Smithy exclaimed, catching hold of his hand. "You had us bloody frightened for a minute there, Gavlar." He whispered, then added. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh you know, Smith, I've felt a bit better." He replied, giving him a smile. "Where's Stacey?" He asked.

"She's asleep," Smithy replied, nodding towards the chair in which his wife slept.

"Is Bryn, OK?" Gavin asked, looking back to him.

"Yeah, he's fine, everyone's gone back to your Mum and Dad's except them, me and Stace."

"Where's Mum and Dad?"

"Last I saw of your Mum, she was in the chapel praying to Allah, and your Dad's getting coffee."

"Allah?" Gavin asked, confused.

"Don't ask," Smithy warned him, he stood up and gently shook Stacey's shoulder. "Stace…" He called, quietly.

She opened her eyes and he nodded to Gavin, following his gaze, she immediately hurried to his side.

* * *

Hours later, after Pam and Mick had left and Smithy had gone home, leaving just Gavin and Stacey alone, she whispered.

"It's a boy, Gav, we're having a son,"

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it, please read and review :D x x**


	20. You're Welsh!

**Please read and review. Hope you like the chapter :) x x**

* * *

"Alright, Ness?" Stacey asked, as Nessa wandered into the kitchen in her silk nightie. "Did you sleep OK?"

"Oh, are you being smart?" She snapped, stony faced.

"No, why?" She said, looking confused.

"Because I didn't get one wink of sleep, not one!" Nessa revealed, "The two of you at it all night long!" She added, pulling open the fridge door and downing what was left of the milk, then putting it back.

"It wasn't all night!" Stacey insisted.

"Oh, Stace, it was a majority of it!"

"Ness, he's not been home in two and a half weeks!" Stacey protested, opening the fridge, pulling out the empty milk carton and dropping it in the bin.

"Oh, I go weeks without seeing Smithy!" Nessa retorted, "But we keep it down! Anyway, don't be disrespecting me – I'm not in the mood!"

"No you don't!" Stacey answered.

"Oh, Stace, yes we do, we show some respect!"

"What about the stain on my wall then?" Stacey asked, folding her arms.

"Like I said – that was Smithy,"

"You still stained my wall,"

"Oh, I told you – it was Smithy!" She snapped, then added. "Anyway, I need a smoke." Picking up the cigarettes that sat on the counter top, she strode out the back door.

"Yes, Mum," came Gavin's voice as he came down the stairs and walked into the kitchen in only his boxers. "No, I'm fine," He insisted, coming up behind his wife and kissed her neck as Pam's voice shrilled down the phone line.

"No, you don't need to come down, we're coming up soon… yes… I know, yeah, he said he'll be here by three. No. No, Mum, it's fine - you go out with Dawn… Yeah. OK. OK, yep, love you too, OK – say hi to Dad for me. OK, love you. Bye-bye." He quickly ended the call and leant on the counter and breathed a sigh of release. "Forty five minutes,"

"What did she say?" Stacey asked.

"Oh, y'know," he replied, shrugging. "She wants to move to Wales so if we need her she can be here quicker. And she wants to come down today 'cos she thinks I'm not myself. And she's worried about Smithy coming down on the motorway in case he has an accident."

She said. "Well, she's right about that, like the idiot driving into you."

"Yeah, so do you want to get a takeaway tonight?" he asked, quickly changing the subject and pulling her towards him.

For over two weeks, both he and Bryn had avoided the topic of the crash and the cause for it, if Stacey knew she'd go mental.

"Yeah sure, it'll save me cooking." She replied kissing him and then added. "Anyway, she's just worried about you,"

"I know, but…" he began, but they were interrupted by the intrusion of Nessa coming back in from her smoke.

"Oh, Gav, what's the ETA for my boys?" She asked.

"About three," he replied, wrapping his arms around Stacey and kissing her neck.

"Tidy," she grunted, "I'm going to make myself look even more gorgeous." As she left the kitchen, Gavin looked at his wife.

"Don't," she ordered,

"I didn't say anything," He insisted, holding up his hands.

"You were going to. Anyway, don't cause trouble."

"I'm not causing trouble," he replied, opening the fridge door peering inside. "Where's the milk gone?" He asked, before adding. "Nessa?"

Stacey nodded and he slammed the door shut.

"I want my house back," he said, simply.

"I know," She agreed, "But she doesn't have anywhere else to go."

"What about Bryn's?" He asked, turning back towards her. "Now he's got rid of the gym?"

"No, he's planning on turning it into a movie room next."

Visions of Bryn, Leek and Potato soup and Gay Porn suddenly filled his head and he shuddered.

"What's the matter?" She asked,

"Nothing," he replied quickly, then added. "She's been here for over a month – what about when the baby's born? She can't be here then."

"It'd be nice to have some help with him," she tried, and Gavin felt a jolt in his stomach at the reference to the baby being a 'him'.

"Stace, no," he said, firmly. "This could be our only kid and I don't want Nessa living here for his entire life. She has to go sometime," he added.

"Alright, I'll have a word with her." Stacey agreed.

"Do you want some bacon?" He asked, going back to the fridge.

"Nessa ate it all yesterday, I meant to get some more." She said and he slammed it shut again.

"Toast it is then," He stated, but Stacey shook her head.

"Nessa – again,"

Just as she spoke, Nessa came striding back in.

"Oh, and will the two of you take Neil, the baby, out around four thirty?" She asked.

"Why?" Stacey asked,

"Because I'm showing some respect and waiting until you two are out the house before I have sex, and don't worry – I'll change the sheets myself this time."

"Oh my God!" Gavin exclaimed, burying his face in his hand. "This is unbelievable."

"Gavin!" Stacey warned.

"Oh. I'm not being funny," Nessa snapped, "But Stace, you're trying – you really are. But Gavin, you're being the very opposite of hospitable in fact, you're being unhospitable."

"Nessa!" She protested.

"I'm pretty sure that's not a word," he replied, as she jabbed her finger at him.

"Gav…" she began, as they both ignored her and Nessa retorted.

"Oh." She glared at him. "I'm not in the mood. Now I want an apology!"

"Why do I even bother?" She muttered to herself.

"Oh!" Nessa exclaimed, with her hands on her hips. "I'm waiting."

Gavin glanced at his wife for support.

She shrugged, "This has nothing to do with me," she said, with a smile on her face.

He glanced from Stacey to Nessa to Stacey and back to Nessa and saw it was a lost battle. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

"I can't hear you," she replied, folding her arms.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, louder.

"I still can't hear you, Gav," she said.

"Ness, I'm sorry." He apologised.

"Stace, could you hear him?" Nessa asked, and they both turned to her.

"To be honest," Stacey answered, enjoying watching him squirm. "No I didn't,"

He looked at her.

"Go on, babe." She added.

"Sorry, Ness." He snapped.

"Well that had no feeling," Stacey protested.

"Fuck this!" He swore and turned and left the kitchen.

"We make a good team." Nessa professed. "Better than me and Jude. Law. And we were good." She paused then added. "Anyway, high five!"

* * *

Smithy knocked on the door just after three.

"Gavinderjiahjiah!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms around Gavin as soon opened the door and hugged him.

"Alright, Smith?" He asked, "Hiya, Neil," he added. As Neil, the baby, toddled up behind Smithy pushing his trundle truck, "c'mon in,"

"Oh, where is he?" Came Nessa's voice, the second they stepped through the door, as she began to come down the stairs.

Neil's eyes lit up as he stumbled towards his Mum. "Alright, babe?" She asked, picking him up. "What's occurin'? Did you have a nice weekend with your Dad?"

He nodded.

"Good boy," Then she turned to Smithy. "Alright?" She added, striding towards him.

He swallowed and replied. "I'm not bad." as they gave each other the 'look'.

"Gav, take the baby." Nessa ordered, passing her son to Gavin, and the two of them began to make their way up the stairs.

"Hiya, how wa…" Stacey began, appearing from the living room, but by that time, Nessa's bedroom door had already slammed. "What's going on?" She asked, turning to her husband.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "She just mentioned, something about wanting you to stay here, anyway, I'm gonna go down to Spar and get some more fags." He said. "C'mon, Neil," He added, lowering him to the floor, quickly grabbing his jacket and putting it on, then scooping Neil back up and sitting him in his buggy where it had been abandoned by Smithy.

"See ya!" He waved, slamming the door behind them both, while Stacey just stood there, confused.

But about three seconds later, there came a loud grunting, rapid squeaking of bed springs and Nessa distinctly screeching: "C'mon then, big boy!" And realised this was Gavin's revenge for that morning.

She hurriedly grabbed her coat and bag, then followed her husband out the door.

As she stepped out the house, she saw him waiting for her at the end of the drive.

"That wasn't funny," she chastised, taking hold of the pram he held out for her, as he laughed her.

"I love you, Stace," he grinned, she gave him a sideward glance and muttered, trying to hold back a similar smile.

"Love you, too,"

"Do I get a kiss as well?" He asked, knowing full well she'd fall for him.

She stopped and looked at him. "Go on then," She answered, wrapping her arms around her neck and kissing him."You know this is absolutely ridiculous!" Smithy exclaimed, taking another drag of his cigarette.

* * *

"What is?" Gavin asked, leaning back in his chair as the pair of them sat in Gavin and Stacey's back garden as they watched Neil, the baby, ride along on his ride on police car.

"Two things: One, what did you always use to say?" He continued, turning to him.

Gavin shrugged. "What?"

"You always used to say 'whenever I get my own place, I'll smoke indoors,' and what are we doing? We're out here, stuck smoking in your bloody back garden."

"Smith, I said that thirteen years ago!" Gavin protested, blowing out the smoke.

"You're a disgrace!" He said, then added. "But I'm glad you didn't die,"

"Cheers, Smith." He replied. "And two?"

"And two, I think I've fallen in love with that." He concluded, nodding to the French doors where Nessa and Stacey sat.

Gavin choked on his cigarette. "What?" He asked, incredulously.

"Don't make me say it again, please." Smithy begged, then muttered to himself. "It's now or never, Smith."

He took a deep breath and shouted. "Oi!" towards the glass, but they didn't turn round. "Oi!" Still they didn't turn round. "OI!" He bellowed, but still no reply.

"Stace?" Gavin called, nowhere near as loudly and they both turned to look at them.

Smithy looked at Gavin with a disgruntled expression, then stood up.

He pointed to himself and then to Nessa then did a variety of different actions that none of them could understand.

"What does that mean?" Gavin asked, taking another drag.

Smithy looked at him, "Do you mind?" He asked, defensively. "I am trying to have a private conversation."

"Sorry," he replied, sarcastically. Then muttered, "It's my house,"

"Smithy, what are you saying?" Stacey asked, opening the doors, "What about you and me?"

"Not you!" He exclaimed, desperately. "Get Nessa," a few seconds later, she appeared came and stood there too.

"What?" She asked.

"Vanessa Shanessa Jenkins." He said. "I love you,"

Gavin sat there speechless at the scene before him, his cigarette slipping from his grip and falling on his jeans and burning him.. "SHIT!" He exclaimed, jumping up.

They all turned to him.

"Sorry," he apologised, sitting back down and brushing himself down. "Carry on,"

"Thanks." Smithy said, sarcastically. "Nessa, I love you." There was a pause. "And I think I have since the seventh time I met you."

"Anyway, what do you say, you, me and the boy," He nodded to Neil. "Do you want to get a place together?" He asked, and they all looked at her.

"Does that mean she leaves?" Gavin asked, hopefully.

"Shut up," Smithy said, and he fell silent.

"Can I smoke indoors?" She queried,

"You can do anything you want," he answered, his voice breaking slightly.

"Tidy." She smiled, "You've got yourself a deal," she stood up and flung open the door, Stacey catching it just before it hit the wall, so the glass wouldn't smash.

"I think I'm gonna cry!" Stacey put in.

"Cheers, Stace," He added, "You're about as much help as your husband."

"Sorry,"

Nessa strode across the garden to Smithy and dragged his face towards her as she kissed him.

Stacey suddenly let out a gasp and clutched her bump.

"Stace, what's the matter?" Gavin demanded, hurrying to her.

She let out another cry only this time it was followed with half a laugh. "The baby's kicking," she gasped, and took hold of his hand, guiding it to where their baby was kicking.

Speechless, he laughed before kissing her and she burst into tears and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the side of her head over and over again, whilst whispering in her ear.

"Stealing our thunder a bit, but whatever," Smithy muttered to Nessa and she nodded.

"I know," she agreed. "It's like this all this time."

* * *

"Gav, what time is it?" Nessa asked, as she, Gavin and Stacey sat on the wall of the pier, waiting for Smithy to return. "Famished I am," she added.

"Me too," he agreed, then added. "Are we getting this takeaway, or what?"

"Yeah," Stacey replied, leaning back against his warm body. "I'll ring them now in a minute,"

"Now in a minute?" He mimicked, confused, as he wrapped his arm around her. "How can that possibly make sense? You're either gonna do it in a minute or do it now – it can't be both!" He said, with a laugh.

"Yeah," she shrugged. "I'm gonna ring the Chinese now, in a minute," She turned to Nessa. "Yes, that does make sense, don't it?"

"Oh, Stace, I don't care, I just want you to order the damn Chinese!" Nessa snapped, aggravated at the fact she didn't have her food.

"Alright?" Smithy asked, walking towards them.

"Yeah, we're just deciding on food for tonight," She replied, as he briefly rested his hand on her back.

"Yeah, what's occurring?" He asked, turning from one to another.

"Ooh! Welsh person!" Gavin exclaimed, with a grin on his face as all three of them turned to him.

"No, forget that even happened!" Smithy said, defensively as they laughed at him.

"You're Welsh!" Nessa grinned.

"No, right, don't make a big thing out of it!" He ordered, "No just because I said it, doesn't make me Welsh!" He protested, as they hurled abuse at him.

"But you did say it!" Gavin told him.

"Yeah but it don't make me Welsh!" He replied, in a vain attempt to defend himself.

"Yeah but technically, your son's Welsh, your girlfriend's Welsh, your house will be Welsh, you will live in Wales and your Godson'll be Welsh," Stacey pointed out. "So you're more or less Welsh anyway."

"Whoa!" Gavin inputted, holding up his hands. "My son will not be Welsh! Let us get that straight!"

By that time, Stacey and Nessa were both going on about the fact that both Smithy and Gavin were Welsh.

They looked at each other and simultaneously the began chanting;

"ENGERLAND! ENGERLAND! ENGERLAND! ENGERLAND! ENGERLAND! ENGERLAND!"

"The pair of you are acting very immature," Nessa stated with a smile on her face.

"C'mon then, let's go and get this Chinese," Smithy grinned, helping Nessa over the wall, as she struggled to swing her legs over.

"Tidy," She said.

"Cracking," Smithy joked, taking hold of the pram where Neil, the baby, slept.

They stopped and stared at him.

"It was a jo…" he tried, then asked. "Too far?"

Gavin nodded.


	21. But it's Yellow

"Alright, Stace?" Nessa greeted, wearing a purple Lycra spandex, striding towards Stacey where she sat in her booth. "What's occurin'?"

"Hiya Ness," Stacey replied, putting her phone away. "How you doing?"

"Oh, I'm shipshape and shiny," She answered, coming up to the counter. "Alright, I'll have a Lion Bar, two ice creams, a Calippo, an Iron Bru and a Kit Kat – actually forget the KitKat,"

"Are you cutting down?" Stacey asked, as she handed Nessa her order.

"Yeah, my nutritionist has told me that in eight out of ten cases, children who grow up with obese parents are likely to be obese themselves. So I'm going to lead by example! Plus, Christmas is comin' up, I have to look my best – it's my first Christmas with both my boys!"

"Well that's nice!" She smiled, adding up her order on the cash register. "Are you not cold in that?" She added, gesturing to the Spandex.

"It's December, Stace," Nessa stated.

"Exactly," Stacey replied, zipping up her own fleece with the Marco's logo on it.

"Oh, don't get smart with me! My corpulent layers keep the cold out!" She snapped.

"OK… that's £3.98,"

"Tidy," Nessa grunted and reached down her bra and pulled out her sheepskin purse.

"Ness, what did the police tell you – if they catch you doing that in public again you're going on the list!" Stacey warned.

"Oh Stace, don't say it as though I don't know – it was me stuck in that Police Cell!" She leant closer to her and glanced left and right before whispering. "I'm not naming names, but if only you knew how many favours I had to give to get out of there – and I'm talkin' sexual!" She sighed and counted out the money, passing it to Stacey before adding. "I was raw for weeks!"

"Ness, I thought you'd put all that behind you," Stacey replied.

"So did I, Stace." She paused. "Fuck it, give me the Kit Kat."

Stacey nodded and passed it over to her.

"What do I owe you?" Nessa asked reaching for her purse.

"98p," She replied, putting it in the till. "You coming in?"

"No, I best not - I have to get moving while my heart rate's still up," Nessa said, "But I'll hang around for a few just while I do my stretches." As she finished speaking, she began doing her squats and lunges.

"How's house hunting going?" Stacey asked, leaning over the counter.

"Well, we're figuring out our options. I mean there's Barry, Cardiff, Billericay, London, Dundee, Vietnam. I mean I'm welcomed all over the world, Nelson'd be delighted to have me back," Nessa panted, mid squat, a thin layer of sweat began to appear across her forehead.

"Nelson?" Stacey prompted.

"Mandela." She enlightened, pausing to crack open her can of Irn Bru and take a swig.

"Barry won't be the same without you, Nessa," Stacey professed.

"I've had a countless number of people say the same thing to me, Stace, and normally I'm not a fan of favouritism, but I might just stick around – you're special." She stated, unwrapping her Cornetto and taking a massive bite.

"Aww, thanks, Ness," Stacey smiled.

"Tidy," Nessa grunted, straightening up and adjusting her spandex, then scooping up her snacks. "Alright I'm done - I'll see you later."

"Bye," Stacey said, waving to her best friend as waddled away.

* * *

"Mum!" Stacey called, as she opened Gwen's front door. "Mum, it's me!"

"We're through here, Stacey!" Bryn called from the living room.

"Hiya, love!" Shouted Gwen, I'm doin' an omelette, you want one?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Stacey laughed as she hung her jacket and bag over the banister. "I'll have Ham and mushroom if you're doing one!" She added, going through to the living room.

"Well hello!" Bryn exclaimed, jumping up and holding his arms out to his niece.

"Hi, Uncle Bryn," She smiled, hugging him.

"How is that little baby?" He grinned, placing his hands on Stacey's bulging stomach.

"Oh, he's doin' fine," Stacey replied, "kicking me into kingdom come – but apparently that's a good thing!"

"Well at least he's lively," Bryn asserted, sitting back down.

"You OK, Stace?" Gwen asked, coming through with a tray with the omelettes on.

"Aye, I'm fine," Stacey answered, as her Mum put her tray down on the coffee table.

"Alright now, Bryn yours is the one with the pickles on the side and Stace yours is the one with the ham and mushroom."

"Thank you very much, Gwen." Bryn exclaimed, leaning forward and tucking into his omelette.

"Oh, now come here you and give your Mum a cuddle." Gwen said, hugging her daughter. "How's my grandson?" She asked, sitting down on the settee next to Stacey.

"Oh, he's doin' fine," Stacey replied, "kicking me to kingdom come – but apparently that's a good thing!"

"For some reason, I'm getting the strangest sense of de-ja vu," Bryn stated.

"Yeah, me too," Stacey agreed.

"Well I'm not!" Gwen protested.

"You must not have the gift, Gwen!" Bryn said, nodding knowingly.

"Anyway, he's gonna be a right little footballer," Stacey smiled, leaning back into the leather. "My own little Christiano Ronaldo,"

"But he's Portuguese," Gwen piped up, looking confused.

"Yeah, but he's a footbal…" Stacey began, then added. "Never mind,"

"Stacey, but the question is - how are you?" Bryn asked, brandishing his fork at her.

"I'm actually fine – I'm not having mood swings, I'm not in any pain, I don't feel any different!" She shrugged.

"Oh you just wait!" Gwen laughed, popping omelette into her mouth.

"Wait for what?" Stacey asked, slightly bemused.

"The eighth month!" Gwen replied.

"The eight month in what?" she queried

"Your pregnancy, you silly sausage!" Bryn put in.

"Every woman in my family – all we Joneses, no problems, no pains then BANG!" she shouted making them both jump. "When you hit eight months your life will never be the same again."

"Mum, you're starting to scare me," Stacey confessed.

Gwen nodded, sympathetically. "I'm only trying to warn you love,"

"Are we still on for tomorrow?" Bryn asked, cutting his pickled into six little pieces.

"What?" Stacey asked, turning to her uncle.

"Car hunting!" Bryn enlightened. "I've got the Picasso all geared up! A fresh tank of fuel. Charged up the Sat-Nav - she's rearing to go – tomorrow, Stace, you just wait, tomorrow, you and your husband will have the car of your dreams!"

* * *

"Well I like it," Gwen admitted, as she stared at the car before her.

"Yeah, it has a bit of individuality," Stacey agreed, walking round it, giving it another once over.

"It's yellow," Gavin stated, simply, folding his arms over his chest.

"Yeah," Stacey said, "Individuality,"

He looked at her. "Babe, we're not getting a yellow car!" He said, firmly.

"Well, why not?" She asked standing next to him as they both looked at the car.

"Two reasons," He explained, "One – I'm the only one who's gonna drive it and I'm not prepared to make myself look like a tit…" he trailed off.

"And the second reason?" Stacey pressed, looking at it.

He shrugged, and added. "It's… yellow,"

"Stacey! Gavin! Gwen!" Came Bryn's excited voice. "Come and look at this!"

"What is it?" Gwen asked, as the three of them approached him.

"Look!" He insisted, excitedly. "This car is the very same as my Picasso!"

Gavin and Stacey looked at each other and then around the courtyard where dozens of cars stood, at least five identical to Bryn's Picasso.

"Yeah, what are the chances?" Stacey asked, linking her arm through his. "C'mon, Uncle Bryn, let's look inside." And the two of them made their way inside towards the entrance.

"I mean she's not serious is she?" Gavin asked his Mother-in-Law, glancing once more at the car before him.

Gwen nodded and resettled her handbag on her shoulder. "I think so, love," she replied, and then added. "Is there no chance that your old car could be mended?"

He shook his head, "No, total write off," He stated, "Got fifty quid for it at the scrap yard, though," He gave the group of cars they were stood in the middle of a fleeting look.

"Well if you ask me - that's a bit of a rip off!" She said, as they crossed to the other side of the lot.

"Hello, Gavin! Gwen!" Came Bryn's voice and they looked over to see him jumping up and down at the entrance, waving at them and gesturing them to come over.

"I think he wants us to go over," Gwen said to Gavin and the two of them headed over to where Bryn was still manically jumping up and down.

"Come and look at this!" He exclaimed, and led them inside to where Stacey was circling a black Golf. "This car is absolutely splendid!"

"More that the other six?" Gwen quipped, as she and Gavin walked towards it.

"Yes." He replied, triumphantly. "And I'll tell you for why – look!" He pointed to the dashboard. "It has a built in Sat-Nav!"

"So it does!" Gwen replied, surprised.

"I'll go and get the chap over there!" He added, and headed off towards the front desk.

Gavin and Stacey glanced at each other.

"I think this means we've found our car," Gavin muttered and she nodded.


	22. In walked Neil the elf

"Oh Smithy, will you take the boy?" Nessa bellowed, as she waddled out of the living room of her and Smithy's new penthouse flat holding the hand of Neil the Toddler.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute!" Smithy replied from the bathroom.

"No, now!" She snapped. "I have to shave and pick my outfit out for tonight!"

"What do you mean choose what you're going to wear?" He asked, coming from their bathroom, his face still wet from his shave. "You have about thirteen versions of the same outfit!"

"Well that's beside the point!" She answered, sharply, letting go of Neil's hand and passing him over to Smithy. "I'll be out in a few." She added, heading up the hall to the bathroom.

"Minutes?" He asked, hopefully.

She turned, and gave him a scathing look. "Hours,"

He began muttering to himself in an inaudible voice, as Neil looked up at him, with his dummy in his mouth, clutching his Postman Pat Van.

Before closing the bathroom door, Nessa stuck her head out and added. "Don't be such a woman's vagina, Smith. It's not a good look."

Smithy gave a small, speechless laugh and shook his head, before turning his attention to his son.

"Are you looking forward to Christmas?" He asked in a sing-song voice, as he scooped up his little boy playfully and proceeded to tickle him. "Are you looking forward to Christmas?"

Neil giggled in reply, causing his dummy to drop from his open mouth, but it was caught by the coil attached to his Fireman Sam pyjamas.

"Now, do you want to know what we're doing today?" He asked, pulling his little boy closer against him.

Neil nodded eagerly, reaching for his dummy and putting it back in his mouth.

"OK, well, we're going to get you dressed and then Daddy's going to take you out shopping to get Christmas Presents and if you're a _really _good boy, I'll let you have ice cream."

"Ike Reem!" Neil repeated, happily, his dummy falling one more, but he picked it back up.

"Then, tonight, we're going to Auntie Gwen's and Uncle Gavin'll be there and Auntie Stacey and Uncle Jason and Uncle Bryn," he continued.

"UCCA BIN!" Neil exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Yes, Uncle Bryn!" Smithy cooed, much to the delight of his son. "And I can bet you he'll play cars with you again!"

Neil beamed in delight.

"But you do have to wear the outfit."

Neil's face dropped.

Sssssssssssssssssssssss

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire dee dee dee dadadah." Bryn sat crossed legged on Gwen's carpet, wrapping presents.

"Bryn, do you want some mince pies, I'm doin' a batch?" Gwen called from the kitchen.

"No, you're alright thank you, Gwen!" He replied, "I'll just have an omelette."

"Oh, no, love." She answered, coming into the living room. "I'm not doin' omelettes."

Silence ensued.

"I beg your pardon," Bryn said, icily.

"I said I'm not doin'… omelettes" She repeated, trailing off at the end at the look of Bryn's face.

"May I ask why?" He asked, with a face like thunder.

"I thought everyone'd fancy a bit of a change," she explained, "I mean, Jason's been complaining he feels a bit funny and my health advisor says I have too much protein and calcium in my diet, and Stacey…"

"And Jason and Stacey and my health advisor!" Bryn mimicked, sarcastically. "What about tradition?" He demanded, "I mean you fancy an omelette – you go round to Gwen's! It has been the same since 1986!"

"I know, but…" She tried, but Bryn carried on talking.

"Mince Pies are hardly the same are they? It's not like you can make a meal of them – there's no variety! I mean it's not even real mince! But with omelettes – Oh! With omelettes, you name it – ham, cheese, milk, pepperoni, turkey, pastrami, salami, mushroom, sausage… fish." He ranted, "They can all make omelettes, any kind of diet - even broccoli!"

Another silence ensued, before Gwen said.

"What do you want on you're omelette, then?"

"Ham and Tomato, if you please." He replied, going back to wrapping up his presents.

"What are you doing?" Gwen asked, as she cracked eggs into the mixing bowl.

"Oh just wrapping some bits and bobs." He said, reaching for the tiny Sleepsuit before him. "Take a look at what I got for the little baby," Bryn added, walking through to the kitchen, just as Gwen stood, flipping the omelette.

"Aww, bless." She smiled.

"It's for Stacey for Christmas," He enlightened, looking delighted.

Gwen frowned, "I thought it was for the baby,"

"Oh it is, for the baby from Stacey, from me – see?"

She didn't but she nodded anyway. "What does it say?" She enquired, looking at it.

"It says: My Great Uncle Bryn is a Great Uncle" He smiled, proudly. "Great being the decisive word – that's not written on it, though, not enough room."

"Well that's lovely that is, here you are." She said, emptying the omelette onto an awaiting plate.

"Thank you very much, Gwen." He smiled, taking it from her and heading back into the living room.

"Am I allowed to come in or are you wrapping for me?" She asked, opening the oven door to inspect her pies.

"No, you're alright I've got all yours, Jason's and Smithy's and Gavin's wrapped up back under my bed. All safe and sound, I just have Stacey, Nessa, Neil the toddler's and Pam and Mick's to do."

Then, as if she had been waiting for her cue, Stacey's voice came through to the living room and the sound of the front door clicked open and shut. "Only me!" She called, making to come in the living room.

"NO!" Bryn bellowed, jumping up and hurling himself at the open door, slamming it in Stacey's face, making her jump back against the stairs and causing Gwen to jump in fright, nearly dropping her tray of mince pies. "No, you can't come in! Just wait there!"

"What's going on?" Stacey asked, shocked. "Has something happened?" She added, lowering the shopping bags she held in her hands and proceeding to remove her hat, scarf and coat.

"No, nothing, nothing." Bryn answered, hurriedly. Snatching up all the presents from the floor and jumping up urgently looking from the left to the right in a desperate bid to hide them from his niece's view.

"Have a nice day love?" Gwen asked, through the door as she appeared back in with a cup of tea in her grasp and stood there watching her brother in law, with a slight look of amusement on her face.

"Yeah, it wasn't bad," Stacey replied, settling herself onto the stairs with a groan, as she began massaging her swollen bump.

"Are you OK goin' around in all that ice?" Gwen inquired, perching herself on the edge of the sofa.

"Yeah, it's fine, I'll get the bus back anyway and it goes to the corner and the road itself isn't too bad."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Gwen stated, "Either Bryn'll run you back or you and Gav can stay for your teas – you're meant to be back at seven anyway!"

Bryn finally decided, on behind the sofa dropped them all with a thump to the floor.

"Thanks, Mam," Stacey replied and as she heard the dull thud, she called. "What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Bryn answered, dropping himself onto the settee in the most unnatural position that he could've done. "You're OK to come on through now, Stace!" He called, switching on the TV.

"Alright," She said, heaving herself up on the banister and heading through to the living room.

"Hiya, love," Gwen smiled, putting her tea down on the coffee table and pulling her in for a hug.

"Hi Mam," She replied, "Hi, Uncle Bryn!"

"Hello, Stacey." Bryn said, grabbing the remote and looking towards his niece.

"What's goin' on?" Stacey asked, looking from her Uncle to her Mother.

"Nothing, nothing." Bryn insisted.

"Then why are you sat like that,"

Gwen smirked, whilst Bryn sat there looking disgruntled.

"And why are you watching…" She began turning to the telly, "What are you watching?"

"Sexual Development of the sheep since 1780, but that's besides the point," Bryn replied, switching off the TV and standing up. "And how are you?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"Oh I'm fine, Uncle Bryn," She replied,

"And how is my little nephew?" He added, crouching down and proceeding to coo to her stomach.

"He's…" She began, but realised it was no use as Bryn was no longer speaking English.

"Would you like a mince pie, love?" Gwen asked, heading back into the kitchen.

"No, thanks, Mum, I'll just have an omelette." Stacey answered/

"I've decided to hold off the omelettes for a while."

Stacey whipped round to look at her, speechlessly.

And another silence ensued.

Sssssss

"Well, that's when I said to her, actually Karen, it wasn't IVF it was natural unlike the £50,000 you've spent trying to become a Mother at 48 after I've been diagnosed with spastic ovaries and 72 year old husband who's confined to a wheelchair." Stacey concluded, taking another mouthful of her tea.

"So what did she say?" Gwen asked.

"Nothing, just gave me a filthy look and went to get chocolate." Stacey shrugged.

"Well, you can't expect to be welcomed in with open arms after everything she did; I mean with the bomb scare, it's just not right." Bryn put in, seriously.

"Mmm," Both Gwen and Stacey agreed.

There was a knock on the front door that interrupted their conversation.

"That'll be Gav," She enlightened, beginning to stand up, but Bryn beat her to it.

"I'll go, you stay there." He insisted, hurrying from the room to the front door.

Smoothing over his hair as he walked down the hall, grabbed the mistletoe that was sat on the telephone table and flung open the front door.

"Mistletoe!" He exclaimed, closing his eyes and puckering up for a kiss.

To his surprise, he felt his face being grabbed and a pair of lips crushing on his, he opened his eyes and was met with the glaring gaze of Doris.

Bryn jumped back in disgust and dropped his mistletoe, clearing his throat he said. "H…Hello, Doris. How can I help?"

"Merry Christmas to you too, Bryn." She replied, "Lovely to see the mistletoe out."

He gave a small smile, then returned to ashen faced. "As I said, how, how, may I help you?"

"Oh, I'm not stopping, Bryn, just came to drop this off for Gwen and Stacey," She said, handing him two bags "and this is for you," she added, handing him the final bag she was carrying.

"Oh, hello, Doris!" Gwen greeted, coming into the hallway. "I thought it was you, won't you come on in."

"I won't thanks, Gwen, I'm getting ready to go out." She replied, as Gwen stood at the front door and Bryn skulked back into the house, mumbling something about the toilet and climbing up the stairs.

"Oh are you going anywhere nice?"

"No, not really," Doris replied, sighing. "Only the crap places are open on Christmas Eve, I'm just going to get completely shit faced and try to forget the fucking day will ever come, y'know, try and wake up boxing day."

"Yeah, well that's nice." Gwen smiled, "Everyone has ways of dealing with it,"

As they stood there talking, Gavin's black Golf pulled up on the pavement.

"Hiya, love," Gwen smiled, leaning round Doris to wave at her son-in-law, and Doris herself, pulling down her top to show her sagging cleavage.

"Hi, Gwen," He said, as he climbed out the car and locked it behind him.

"Alright, Gav?" Doris asked, in a sultry voice, leaning against the gate post and twirling a lock of her grey haired perm around her finger.

"Yeah, fine thanks, Dor," He smiled, awkwardly, trying to edge round her.

"Merry Christmas!" She exclaimed, standing in front of him.

"Merry Christmas, to you too," He replied.

"No one gets past without a kiss…" She began, trying but failing discretely pull a leaf off the bush to her left. "…Under the mistletoe," she concluded, holding it above her head.

"That's not mistletoe," Gwen said, with a laugh.

"Yes it is Gwen!" Doris snapped.

"No it isn't, you just pulled it from that bush," She insisted, pointing to it.

"Will you shut up!" She exclaimed, angrily. "It is bloody mistletoe!"

"No it isn't," Gwen repeated, placing her hands on her hips.

"It is!"

"No it isn't,"

Spying his opportunity, Gavin edged past the arguing women and into the house, dropping his briefcase in the hall and shrugging off his jacket and draped it over the banister before walking into the living room where Stacey sat on the settee reading her way through a baby name book.

"Hiya, babe," he smiled, crouching down beside her.

"Hiya," she smiled, kissing him lightly on the lips.

"What you doing?" He asked, leaning over her shoulder to look at the book.

"Looking at names," she replied, closing it. "What do think of the name Mickey?" She added, looking at him.

He paused, then asked. "As in mouse?"

"Gav!" She chastised, laughing slightly. "I'm being serious!"

"Yeah, me too," he stated. "I mean you hear Mickey, you think mouse."

"Alright, fair enough," she agreed. "What about Rhys?"

He nodded, then with a slight grin added. "I've been thinking about Duncan,"

"OK, off the baby names." She said, with a smile. "Happy Christmas,"

"Happy Christmas," he replied, kissing her again, then dropped down on the sofa next to her. "So how was your day?" He asked, wrapping his arms around his wife and she relaxed against his warm body.

"Oh, y'know, the usual, just some last minute shopping," she answered, "How was work?"

"Nothin' special," he shrugged, he added. "Did you manage to get Nessa something?"

"Yeah, I bobbed into Matalan and got her some jeans she's been lookin' at,"

"What?" He asked, confused. "Nessa never wears jeans!"

"Oh, aye she does!" Stacey insisted.

"When?" He asked, incredulously.

"All the time! Do you not remember the time when we went to see Michael Jackson in concert?" She asked, then paused. "Oh no, that was before your time!"

He watched her with amusement as she paused again.

"God, that was a lush night – we have to do that again sometime!" She smiled, reminiscing at the memory.

"OK, babe, two problems with that…" he said, "One, Michael Jackson's dead."

"Alright, fair point," she agreed.

"And two - who'll be looking after our baby?" He added.

Stacey squealed with delight, "I can't believe this time next year we're gonna have a baby!"

"I know," he agreed. "78 days to be precise," he grinned.

"Is that a young man named Gavin I can hear?" Came the voice of Bryn down the stairs.

"Hiya, Bryn!" Gavin replied, as Bryn bounded into the living room.

"Well hello, my little Cockney Sparrah!" Bryn beamed, "Merry Christmas!" He added, opening his arms to him.

"Merry Christmas, Bryn," Gavin said, standing up and hugging him. "Alright, can I get anyone a brew?" He asked, letting go of Bryn and undoing his tie.

"No, now you wait just there!" Bryn exclaimed, bringing out from his pocket a sprig of Mistletoe and held it above his head.

_Oh God, _Gavin thought.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Alright, Gwen?" Nessa asked, as she strode through the back door making Gwen jump in fright.

"Goodness me!" Pam exclaimed, holding an oven-mitted glove to her chest. "You gave me such a fright!"

"I know, I have that complexion about me," She nodded. "Anyway, Merry Christmas," As she began to walk towards the living room, Gwen called out.

"Where's Smithy and Neil?"

"The Toddler?" She checked, turning round.

"Yeah," Gwen replied, looking towards the empty doorway.

"Well, Neil's being a little difficult, Smith's trying to bring him in, now." She revealed, "Should be fine after one of your omelettes, though,"

"Well, actually, Ness." Gwen stated. "I'm holding off the omelettes for a while."

Nessa froze.

"What?" She growled, slowly turning round and glaring at Gwen.

She had more than expected this response.

"Well, I… I thought I'd have a new speciality." She stammered, backing up against the counter.

"Being what?" Nessa spat.

"Mince pies?" Gwen choked, in a barely audible voice.

Nessa took a step towards her. "Alright then," She shrugged, "Merry Christmas,"

"Pardon?" Gwen asked,

"Well I can't force you to make them." Nessa replied, casually before heading through to the kitchen.

"Well, Merry Christmas!" Gwen said to herself, picking up the mince pies and heading into the living room.

SSSSSSSSSSSS

"Alright, now before we come in. Can I just say that Neil is feeling very self conscious about his outfit and could everyone please be nice." Smithy said, speaking from the kitchen as they all turned round awaiting the arrival of the guests that had been due for the past twenty minutes.

"Now, ready?" They heard him say.

There was no answer.

"Good boy," Just then the kitchen door swung open and in walked Smithy and Neil… the elf.

There was a cry of "Aww!" from Stacey, Bryn and Gwen and a splutter of coughs and choking from Gavin that Stacey was sure were disguised laughs and as she patted him on the back, she threw in a few thumps.

"I was up all last night making that!" Nessa stated proudly.

"Yeah, you can tell," Gavin quipped and took another mouthful of his beer as Nessa gave him a devil stare.

"What a charming young gentleman!" Bryn stated proudly, winking at Neil, before going back to fiddling on his laptop.

"Well don't you look handsome," Bryn exclaimed, hurrying over to pick Neil up and spinning him round. "Do you have any presents for me?" he added, hopefully, tickling him.

"No," Neil replied, ashen faced.

"Well I have some for you!" He said, "Come 'ere, let's get this hat off you and see where you've gone!" He grinned, pulling of what only could be described as a bit of green stuff with a pompom on the end.

Immediately, Neil breathed a sigh of relief as he felt less embarrassed.

"Pessants!" He exclaimed, returning to his usual self, with a grin spread over his face.

SSSSSSSSSSSS

"So, first Christmas settled down!" Gavin stated to his mate as they stood in the back yard, smoking.

"Yeah," Smithy nodded, blowing out a ring of smoke. "Last Christmas when you're not a parent,"

"Yeah," Gavin nodded, going silent.

"Best thing that'll ever happen to you, mate." Smithy stated, sitting down next to him.

"I know," He replied, with a grin on his face.

"So what you gonna call it?" He asked, taking another drag.

"Him," Gavin corrected, flicking his cigarette stub into the gutter.

"Sorry, him," Smithy apologised, with a grin. "Anyway, any names, yet?"

"Well, Stace wants all these Welsh ones and most of them are just idiotic," He replied, folding his arms over his chest.

"That's a bit harsh!" Smithy said, turning to his best friend.

"Last week it was Donne," Gavin replied, grimly.

"Like the kebab?" He wondered, allowed.

"That's what I said,"

"Well what did she say?" Smithy asked.

"Didn't talk to me for the rest of the night,"

"Yeah, Nessa does that if I don't scrub her feet,"

Gavin looked at his mate and laughed, just as Neil appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, what's up, mate?" Gavin asked him and Smithy looked up to see his son stood there.

The look on his face said it all and he pulled pathetically at the tinsel around his neck.

Laughing slightly, Gavin walked towards him, whilst Smithy threw his smouldering stub over the fence. "Come 'ere," He said, bending down and picking up his god son who held out his arms to him. "Smith, you have to admit he looks a bit of a tit," Gavin said, turning to Smithy.

"Gav!" He said, making his eyes wide in a silent warning. Then paused, "Yeah, he does doesn't he?"

"Let's get it off you," Gavin added, standing Neil on the garden chair as he un-coiled the tinsel and un-buttoned the jacket.

Neil breathed a sigh of relief and began scratching at his chest and arms.

"That better?" Smithy asked, crouching down in front of his son.

Neil nodded eagerly.

"Ok, now you've had your little scratch, let's get you dressed." He continued, picking up the jacket from the table.

Neil took one look at the item that his Father held and began to cry.

"Oh, no, Neil!" Smithy exclaimed, "No don't cry, not long until we can go home and you can take it off."

"Well he can't understand that, can he?" Gavin said, catching Neil as he almost toppled off the table in an attempt to escape the suit.

"He can understand everything else!" Smithy retorted, putting the jacket down and pulling his little boy into his arms. Whispering soothing comforts into his ear and kissing him softly as he wrapped his big arms around his t-shirt, elf-trouser clad little boy as he shivered in the December wind.

"He can't put that back on, can he?"

"He's got no other clothes."

"Wait, yes he does!" Gavin exclaimed, "Come on," he added, ushering to Smithy.

"Babe?" He asked, sticking his head round the living room door.

"Yeah?" Stacey replied, looking towards her husband.

"Would you mind if I got the thing?"

"What thing?" She answered, looking confused.

"You know the thing, Neil's thing"

"The thing?" She asked, looking confused.

"Yeah," He nodded.

"No, go get it, it's fine," She smiled.

"Cheers babe,"

"Oh, Gav?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't get the big thing, though,"

"I won't,"

"Good, because we'll give the big thing when we give the other things,"

"OK,"

SSSSSSSSSS

"Alright?" Smithy asked, casually, as he, Gavin and Neil the toddler came in through the front door.

Stacey looked up and smiled at them before double taking and glancing at Neil, then at her husband then back again.

"Gavin?" She began.

"Yeah?" He replied, casually.

"What's he wearing?" She demanded, looking up at him as Neil toddled towards her and reached for his Thomas, Edward and Percy Engines that were sat on the floor in front of his God Mother.

Nessa's head immediately sprang up and upon inspecting her son, turned from Smithy to Gavin and finally to Stacey as they both looked at Neil who now dressed in the jeans and t-shirt, complementary of Gavin and Stacey and the Elf Apparel was nowhere in sight.

"What's he wearing?" Nessa mimicked, glaring at the pair of them as Neil staggered over to her, with his trains in his grasp.

"The thing," Gavin answered, looking from Stacey to Nessa to Neil and back again.

"No, I meant the other thing," Stacey said, exasperatedly.

He looked at her, confused. "Which other thing?" He asked.

"The Boxset," She mouthed.

"Oh, yeah," he said, feigning realisation.

"Excuse me!" Nessa snapped, "I said: What's he wearin'?"

Smithy and Gavin glanced at each other, before Smithy began to speak.

"As lovely as the outfit was, Ness." He said, carefully. "Neil... Neil… found it a bit… scratchy,"

"Oh, 'course he did." Nessa replied, sarcastically.

"Itchy," Neil murmured, as Nessa pulled him into her lap.

"Itchy?" Nessa asked, looking at him.

"Itchy," he confirmed.

"Alright, I believe you." Nessa nodded.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Oh, c'mon, you can totally see the wires!" Smithy exclaimed, pointing at the TV with contempt.

"Where?" Nessa, Gwen and Gavin replied in unison.

"What are you on about?" Gavin asked, incredulously. "He's in mid air - there's nothing there!"

"No he's right," Stacey put in, also pointing to the TV, where the magician had some one floating 6 ft. in the air.

"Well I just think that it's a load of utter rubbish," Gwen stated, placing her knitting on her knee. "Done with mirrors it is,"

"How do you know?" Stacey demanded.

"Ness took me, didn't you, Ness?" Gwen replied, looking towards Nessa who sat next to her, with a sleeping Neil the toddler in her arms.

"So I did," she agreed. "Crackin' night that was, one of the best after parties I've ever been to," She paused, before looking towards Gwen.

"Shame they were full, Gwen, you'd really have enjoyed it." She said, seriously.

"Oh, I was alright, love, that bouncer was lovely he was, let me into his little office and we watched Bad Girls together, overall it was a nice night,"

"What episode was it?" Nessa asked, interested.

"The one where Jim tries to make out Shell tried to smother her baby."

"I thought Debra Stevenson played a brilliant part in that," Stacey said and they all nodded in agreement.

"Hold it!" Bryn bellowed suddenly, making them all jump.

Having previously been sat on the settee with his headphones plugged into his ears on his laptop, no one had paid much attention to him but now he couldn't have looked more alert if you'd hit him in the face.

"We are through to the Essex Christmas Special of The Shipman Household – Live!" He stated, pulling out his headphones and spinning his screen round to reveal Pam stood there wearing a Santa Hat with her face taking up the entire screen.

"Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?" She shouted at the screen.

Then came Mick's voice from the background. "You don't need to bloody shout woman!"

"Well if you would help me I would know what to do, but instead you are sat there on your backside like a spoilt child – Yes, I dropped the turkey on the floor and then stood on it, so what? Get over it and act like a grown up!"

"Hi, Mum," Gavin called, breaking the awkward silence that had filled the living room.

Pam suddenly stopped arguing and turned back to the screen.

"Hello, my little prince!" She exclaimed, waving to him. "Hi, Stacey!" She added. "Merry Christmas everyone!"

"Merry Christmas!" They chorused.

"Alright Pam, what's occurin'?" Nessa asked, nodding to her.

"Hi, Nessa," Pam replied. "Aww, hello Neil!" She added, as Neil lifted his head off his Mum's shoulder to momentarily look towards the screen before resettling himself and falling back asleep.

"Mick will you come and say hello?" She hissed to her husband and the two began to have a heated argument that didn't comprise of actual words, just hisses and hand gestures.

Meanwhile, everyone in the Barry living room once more descended into an awkward silence.

After a good minute and a half of silence, Pam finally spat. "Fine! Don't say Happy Christmas to your only child on his first Christmas away from home… Screw the sodding turkey – we'll have fish bloody fingers!"

"Mum?" Gavin asked and she turned back to the screen not realising that they had heard every word she had said. "What's goin' on with Dad?"

"Dad? Oh well yes, you see Gav, your Dad isn't… he isn't here at the moment,"

An awkward silence descended until Bryn put in.

"Merry Christmas Pam, Merry Christmas!"


	23. Proposed to me he did, Stace

A fortnight after Christmas Stacey woke up in a cold sweat.

"Gavin, wake up!" She hissed, shaking her husband's shoulder.

Groaning, he rolled onto his back, "What's the matter?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"We're bad parents," She replied in a quiet voice.

"What? Why?" He asked, pulling himself up on his elbows.

"Look at us, I mean we don't have anything!" Stacey insisted, gesturing around their bedroom. "We aren't ready for this! I mean the baby could come at any day!"

"Don't be silly," Gavin tried, but she completely ignored him.

"I mean we have a cot, a cot, Gavin that is not at all well equipped!" She ranted, pausing for breath for a second before starting again. "We've done lists, you know we've done lists, you did the lists with me, but we still have no stuff!"

"Babe…" he began, but once again, he was completely ignored.

"Like a changing table, or a pram, or weaning equipment!"

"What's weaning equipment?" Gavin asked, confused.

"I dunno," Stacey answered, "But all the books go on about, so we should find out!"

"OK," Gavin sighed, sitting up next to his wife. "How about tomorrow we go and stock up, y'know, get clothes, a pram, a changing table… weaning equipment, does that make you feel better?"

Stacey nodded, "Can we go into Cardiff for the big Mother Care World in St. David's?" She asked, cuddling up against her husband as they settled back down.

"Course we can," he answered, wrapping his arm around her and kissing the side of her head. "We can go anywhere you want,"

* * *

"Hi, can I help you?" A middle aged woman in the Mama's and Papa's uniform asked, walking up to Gavin and Stacey.

"Yeah, if you could," Stacey replied, looking up. "Can I ask, which one do you prefer?" She asked, gesturing to the two Prams in front of herself and her husband. "Cos I like the red one, but Gav likes the green one,"

"I think the red one's looks more appealing," She answered,

"Cheers," Gavin smiled as she walked off.

"I dunno," Stacey murmured, walking around the pram for the eighth time. "It just doesn't feel right, y'know what I mean?"

"No, not really," He answered, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well, like, I want to see it and it be like BANG," She stated, shouting the last word making him and the couple stood nearby jump. "That's the pram I want our son to have,"

"We can just get that first one we saw," Gavin suggested.

"Yeah, I guess," She nodded, pulling her bag onto her shoulder.

"I mean, it was n…" he began, but Stacey's loud gasp and her hurrying away to a corner she had somewhat overlooked stopped him.

They'd found it.

* * *

"So all we need to get now is a baby bath and one of those temperature changing kits," Stacey explained to Nessa, whilst sipping her cup of tea.

"You've done a very thorough job," Nessa nodded, as she pushed Neil the toddler forwards and backwards across the living room carpet in the new pram. "You've chosen well, especially on the Moses Basket – I like the airplane designs, classy yet adventurous,"

"Pam run gu'," Neil added, from where he was sat.

"What's that babes?" Nessa asked, leaning down towards her son.

"Pam run gu'," He repeated, slowly.

"I hear you, baby cakes," Nessa answered, ruffling his hair. "He says…" She began.

"He says he likes the pram and that it runs nicely," Stacey cut in.

Nessa nodded, "Exactly," Lifting Neil out of the buggy and placing him on the floor,

"I like the colours on it, pastel blue's very in at the moment, it reminds me of the time Russ took me on a picnic to Hamden Park, early in Spring it was, Stace, not a cloud in the sky," She sighed, "He proposed to me, but I had to tell him, 'no, Russell, no, you're not the one for me,' broke his heart I did," She finished her story and sat in silence, reminiscing the memory.

"Oh, Ness," Stacey said, sympathetically, lifting Neil the toddler onto her lap as he tottered over to her and held out his arms for her to pick him up. "What happened?"

"Never saw him again," She shrugged. "Not in the person, like, but I still watch him every time Mock the Week's on and every year I watch the Royal Variety, hopin' he's on,"

"That's nice," Stacey replied, smiling at her best friend.

Their conversation was interrupted by the voice of Smithy as he and Gavin came in from the kitchen.

"So you, me, Gary and Simon, Chinese Alan, Budgie and Fingers, Dirtbox, Jesus… Deano, United vs. Spurs friendly, third of Feb, what d'ya say?" He asked, his best friend, dropping himself onto the sofa.

"I dunno," Gavin replied, hesitantly. "I mean, it'd mean drivin' all the way down to Essex, takin' time off work, it's only a month off the baby being born…" He trailed off. "I dunno," he repeated.

"No, mate, listen," Smithy stated, leaning forward. "Stace, back me up on this – The boys together one last time before you hit fatherhood, you get to run up to see your Mum and Dad, take the day of work, because let's face it – you're the boss…"

"I'm not the boss," Gavin cut in, perching himself on the edge of the sofa as all the seats were taken up by his wife, his best friend, godson and… Nessa.

"Well you kinda' are," Stacey protested, resting her arm on his knee.

"I'm not the boss," he repeated. "Iwan's the boss,"

"Yeah, anyway," Smithy continued, before either Gavin or Stacey could interrupt. "AND… it's only a month until the baby's born, so you need to get out while you can, 'cos mate when you have a kid your whole life's over,"

Neil whipped his head round and glared at his Dad before mumbling something incoherently, wriggling off Stacey's knee and toddling out the room, slamming the door behind himself.

"Are you happy, now?" Nessa asked, shaking her head. "You're a fool!" She cried, appalled. "He won't sleep tonight,"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Smithy replied, indignantly. "I was just saying it, I love him to pieces,"

"Good, now go and tell him that and apologise," she replied, firmly.

"What?" He asked, disbelievingly.

"NOW!"

* * *

"And that, Neil, is why Daddy is very sorry and he promises never to say anything as ungrateful, belligerent or totally nasty again," Smithy concluded as he finished reading off the card which Nessa, in her fancy calligraphy handwriting, hand scripted a speech for him to say.

"'Kay," Neil replied, nodding his head. "Forgive you,"

"Good boy," Smithy smiled, ruffling his son's hair, looking up to his best mate, he saw that Gavin had a look of amusement spread across his face. "Well?" He asked.

"We'll go," Gavin nodded, a grin on his face.

"Snooker Loopy!"

* * *

**Sorry it's taken so long to upload. Please Read and review x x**


	24. Not long now, mate

"D'you not think he looks a bit like you?" Stacey asked, tilting her head to the side as she examined the sonogram in her grasp. "Y'know a bit round the head?"

Glancing momentarily away from the road, towards his wife, Gavin grinned, "Give it here a sec," he said, taking hold of it as she passed it to him. He nodded a smile on his face. "Yeah, it does a little bit,"

"I know!" Stacey beamed, opening up her purse and placing the sonogram in it alongside the other two she already had. Plus the pictures she had of her and Gavin, her and Gwen, her and Neil, her and Bryn, her and Nessa, her and Smithy and Nessa, her and her dad, her and Gavin and Neil...

"I love you," Gavin announced, arousing her from her state of lifting each picture out and smiling at them.

"I love you, too," She replied, smiling at him.

"Both of you," he added, taking one hand off the steering wheel and placing it on Stacey's enormous bump, a feature which had resulted with her having to have her seat slid back further than her husband's.

"Well, let's just get him out," Stacey sighed, putting away her purse, leaning back and wincing slightly as she felt her son kick.

"Where?" Gavin asked, immediately.

"Right there," She answered, taking hold of Gavin's hand and placing it over the kicking. "If he carries on I'll have a hole," She stated. "And my ring's getting really difficult to fit on!" She added, Gavin opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off before he'd even started. "And all I can eat is different types of Pasta!"

"I know," He grinned, wryly, "It wasn't you who was driving out to Co-Operative at eleven o'clock at night to go and get three different brands of Macaroni,"

"Yeah, well I'd have got back faster!" She quipped, looking towards her husband.

"You rang me four times and cried down the phone because they didn't have the green stuff," He stated in defence.

"Yeah and?" She asked, rationally.

"They don't do green Macaroni!" He laughed, shaking his head.

"They could do," She replied, adjusting herself in the chair, "They could do,"

* * *

"Where are they, Mick?" Pam demanded her husband as he stood at the kitchen counter, slicing up a potato.

"I don..." He began, but she cut him off.

"You keep cooking," She ordered. "They'll be here in five minutes and I want their dinners to be in the oven,"

"Alrig..." He tried again, but her devil stare cut him off.

Pam headed back over to the window, pulled back the curtains and looked up and down the road.

"I mean where the hell are they?" She exclaimed as she began pacing up and down the living room. Suddenly, she screamed, causing Mick to jump violently and snick himself with the knife.

"Bollocks!" He exclaimed, sucking his bleeding finger, before surveying and before he had noticed his wife who stood there extremely white and looking like she'd seen a ghost. "Pam, what's the matter?" He asked as he reached into one of the many kitchen drawers and pulled out a plaster, before proceeding to tentatively wrap it around his finger. "Pam?" He tried again, walking out from round the kitchen counter to stand beside her. "Pam?" He asked, waving his hand in front of her face, but she appeared expressionless.

Mick sighed and crossed his arms across his chest and pulled a face very similar to that of his son. He didn't want to do it, but she'd left him no choice. "Princess Diana was the greatest woman ever to walk the earth," He stated.

"What did you just say?" She snapped, suddenly springing back to life.

"Pam, I'm sorry, but you gave me no choice!" Mick replied, holding up his hands to her.

"Oh, what did you do to your finger?" Pam asked, taking hold of his hand.

"The scream caught me off guard," He told her.

"What scream?" She queried, looking at him with confusion.

"Your scream," he said to her.

"Oh my Christ," she murmured to herself as her previous thoughts re-entered her head.

"No, let's not get back here, love!" Mick insisted, but when she didn't reply, he added. "Camilla doesn't des..." he began, but she cut him short.

"Alright, alright!" She interrupted him, swatting at her with her hands. "I thought, the worst of thoughts, worse than that time we thought Penny Fishwick down the street had died against the window, y'know when she didn't move for a day and a half,"

"How could I forget?" Mick asked, shuddering at the thought. It had, in fact, been him who had been pressed up to the window gazing into the living room when she had suddenly 'come back to life' when, in actuality, she had fallen asleep on a tube of Adhesive Glue and gotten stuck to the radiator and just fallen was just his dumb luck that, when the central heating had kicked in and the glue had softened, allowing her to move he had been stuck to the other side of the window.

"Well, I just thought..." She stopped herself, fanning her eyes furiously. "No, I can't it's too awful! I'll just start crying and my mascara will get all smudged – it took me forty minutes, Michael. Forty minutes!"

"But it wasn't you who all the neighbours called Pervy Shipman for the best part of 2007."

"Fair point," She nodded. "I thought, the most awful of thoughts, What if..." she paused for a good five seconds, "they crashed,"

"Oh for the love of Mike!" Mick stated, shaking his head. "Pam, they are six minutes later than they said they would be,"

"Six minutes, thirty seven seconds," She corrected him.

"Fine six minutes, thirty seven seconds later,"

"Thirty nine, forty, forty one,"

"Alright, I get the picture," Mick insisted.

"What I am saying is that this is the most worried I have ever been!" She told him, collapsing on the sofa, and picking up the picture of her only son on his first day of school.

"No, Pam, you get like this every time he's coming and is more than twelve seconds late," Mick reminded her, getting back to his preparation of the 'Sunday-Tuesday Roast' that Pam had so kindly christened.

"I do not!" She cried indignantly.

"You do," He replied, sighing.

"Name three times,"

"1st April 2009, you became convinced that they weren't coming and didn't speak to me for three hours just because they didn't call every twenty five minutes and you became convinced it was me pulling a prank on you,"

"Fine, that was one time,"

"Boxing day, you woke me up at four o'clock in the morning, wondering whether you should ring Gavin to see if had set off or if they hadn't what time they would be,"

"Ok,"

"September 12th 2009, similarly to this occurrence, you collapsed on the floor sobbing your heart out; because you were convinced your only son was dead,"

"Fine well there were three times," She stated, dismissively.

"I have twelve more," Mick replied.

"Yeah, well, if you don't..." She began, when she was interrupted by the pomp of Gavin's black Golf pulling into the driveway. "THEY'RE HERE!" Pam screamed, turning and sprinting towards the door, not caring when she slipped on the carpet.

Standing behind the door she took a deep breath, flicked her hair and opened the door just in time for her son and daughter in law to walk up the drive way.

"Hiya, you two!" She beamed, hurrying outside. "Oh, hello, my darlings!"

"Alright, Mum?" Gavin asked, hugging her and kissing her on the cheek.

"Oh, I'm alright, Gav," Pam replied, then added. "Hiya, Stacey,"

"Hi Pam," Stacey smiled, "Sorry we're late,"

"Oh don't be silly," Pam insisted, swatting the air as all three of them walked into the hallway. "We knew you were on your way, your Dad was getting all worked up though, you know what he's like,"

Gavin and Stacey glanced at each other and held back knowing smiles.

"Right, I'll just dump the bag upstairs," Gavin announced, lifting the suitcase up by its straps.

"Alright, love," Pam replied, putting her arm around Stacey's shoulder, before stating. "Right, darling now you and I are going to have a nice cup of tea and you are going to tell me everything that's going on with that little baby,"

"Michael, what are you doing?" Pam asked as she and Stacey walked into the living room to see him knelt on the floor scubbing the carpet.

"When you tripped running to the door, your nail varnish stained the carpet." He answered, leaning back to reveal the dark stain.

Following his words all three of them looked down at her feet to see the big and index toe of her left foot were missing their bright purple covering.

"Oh Jesus..." She muttered, exasperatedly.

* * *

"C'mon, Mum, what's this surprise?" Gavin queried as Pam and Mick led them upstairs to the smaller of the spare bedrooms.

"Well, when your little baby comes along," She began, gesturing to Stacey's almost fully grown bump, "I just thought y'know; it'd be nice if..." She paused, fanning her eyes. "I can't I'm sorry..." She mumbled, almost incoherently. "Mick, as we practiced," She said to her husband.

"Your Mum wanted to do something nice for the pair of you and the baby, so she thought it'd be nice to decorate the spare room," Mick concluded, pushing open the door as he patted his wife on the back.

"Aww, you shouldn't have!" Stacey exclaimed, entering the room, before realising she meant every word.

"Do you like it?" Pam asked, cautiously.

"It's totally unexpected," Stacey replied, forcing a huge smile.

"That's one word for it!" Gavin agreed, to which Stacey shot him a devil stare. "I... I mean it's lovely, Mum – the chrome just brings out how much the sun hits the room!" He corrected himself, glancing sideways at his dad who shrugged an 'I tried,'

"I'm SO glad you like it!" Pam beamed, clapping her hands. "Right how about we get down and have dinner, Smithy said he'll be back from his Mum's by twenty past and it's quarter to, now,"

"Yeah, it's giving me a headache," Stacey murmured, resulting in Gavin wrapping a protective arm around her and giving her a kiss on the temple, but then she realised what she'd said. "I mean I'm getting a headache," She said, in a flustered tone.

"Oh, you know what'll clear that headache up right away?" Pam offered, placing her arm over Stacey's shoulders as the two of them walked out the room.

"What?" Stacey asked.

"A nice steaming bowl of Tripe,"

"Yum," was all Stacey could reply.

"C'mon, mate," Mick said to his son, clapping him on the back before heading for the door. "Help me get the lamb out of the oven,"

"Sure, Dad," Gavin replied, not looking away from the room. "I'll be there in a minute,"

"OK, son," And he heard the door shut behind his Father.

"S'not too bad," Gavin tried to convince himself, spinning the movable Moses Basket in its metal holder. "Not long now, mate," He muttered to the phramed sonogram picture ontop of the chest of drawers. "Just a month," And with that he made for the door latching it behind him.

**How little he knew.**

* * *

**Sorry it's taken so long to upload, but please read and review ****xxxx**


	25. Not the Brenda story again!

February 3rd 2010 was the night of the Tottenham and West Ham friendly and Gavin was getting ready for Smithy's arrival as he and his wife stood in the hallway.

"OK, I'll be about four hours tops," He said to Stacey as he fixed his hair in the hallway mirror.

"OK, babes," She replied as she heaved herself down her parent in law's stairs, plonking herself down on the bottom step. "What time'll the match finish?" She asked, taking a mouthful of tea from the mug she held in her grasp.

"If there's no extra time about tenish," He answered, turning round to face her. "But when West Ham lose Smithy'll want to drink himself into oblivion, so I'll have to get him home first but I'll be back by 12:30 at the latest,"

"That's what you said last time," Stacey quipped, setting her tea aside and pulling herself to her feet.

"I wasn't that bad!" Gavin said in defence.

"You spent the next day asking where Valerie was," She laughed, fastening her dressing gown tie.

Before Gavin had time to reply, they were interrupted by Smithy's voice.

"No, no, I know, I know!" He insisted as he walked through the door. "I know I didn't fold it to the best of my ability, and I'm sorry, yes, I will make it up to you!"

"Who's he onto?" Stacey asked her husband, but Smithy agitatedly waved his hand for them to shut up.

"Nessa?" He suggested, wrapping his arms around her.

"OK, yes, that will be very satisfactory. OK, yep. Nothin' really I'm just about to go out to the football with Gav, what's occurin' at your end...Thomas the Tank Engine? Good,"

"Smith – we have to get going," Gavin whispered and Smithy nodded in reply.

"OK, now I have to go, no I won't be a nuisance to the public... I promise, now bye, no Neil – Daddy's has to go now... what tone of voice – there was no tone of voice! I love you and be a good boy for Mummy, bye-bye,"

As he hung up his phone and turned round, he noticed the bemused looks of Gavin and Stacey's faces. He shrugged, "Kids,"

"Right, let's get going!" Gavin said, grabbing his jacket. "C'mere," He directed at his wife, kissing her and hugging her. "See ya Mum, Bye Dad!" He called, through to lounge and they both chorused their goodbyes. "Bye babes," He grinned, "Bye, mate," he added, rubbing her stomach.

"See ya Stace!" Smithy called, waving at her.

"Bye, you two," She smiled as they closed the door behind them. Suddenly, she felt a minor twinge, worse than an ordinary kick. "Shh, shh," She murmured, gently massaging her tender belly. "You go back to sleep,"

"Alright, boys?" Smithy asked as he and Gavin walked towards the men stood outside the large stadium.

"Look it's the sheep shaggers!" Budgie exclaimed in reply, pointing towards the two of them as they came towards the group.

After about five minutes of banter which involved insults that revolved around sheep, Welshmen, Nessa and toilet brushes, all ten of them headed inside.

GASGASGAS

"C'mon, Gav, mate, it's starting!" Budgie insisted, nudging his mate.

"I know, one sec!" He replied as he finished tapping in his text to Stacey on his mobile.

_Game just started, speak to you soon. Love you Gav xxx _

He selected Stacey's number then clicked send before switching his phone off, placing it back in his pocket and beginning to join the rest of the boys in their cheering and chanting.

"So I said to her, Brenda, I have no idea what you are planning or what you hope to achieve, just put the bat down," Pam said to Stacey as she took another mouthful of wine.

"And did she?" Stacey asked, looking incredulous.

"Did she buggery!" Pam replied, leaning forward, "If you ask me, she only did it because she knew it was true!"

"So what happened after that?" Stacey pushed, interested as to how the story ended.

"Well at that moment the police turned up and I asked if I could go with her in the car, but they said the only way I could do was if I was arrested,"

"And?" She pressed, desperate to see how it ended.

"Well, she's a good friend, Stacey, but not that good of a friend – I have had an unblemished record since 1972 and I don't intend to start all of it again!" She stated matter of factly.

"Oh, not the Brenda story again?" Mick groaned, appearing at the French doors after having a cigarette.

"It has to be told, Mick!" She retorted, frowning at him.

Stacey shook her head in disbelief. "Well of all people! I mean she seemed so normal!"

Pam and Mick both nodded in agreement.

"It's the menopause, Stace, does strange things to all of us!"

"No, Stace, it was the fact that she came home to find Graeme in bed with the next door's gardener," Mick put in.

"Yes well that as well," Pam dismissed, draining her glass before adding. "Right, well Mick's about to go off to the shop to get some more wine," she began, turning to her daughter-in-law.

"Is he?" Mick interrupted, looking towards his wife.

"Yes, he is," Pam affirmed giving him one of her looks. "Is there anything he can get you?" She added.

"No, I'm fine thanks," Stacey smiled in response.

Mick turned towards Pam, "Bottle of red?" He asked.

"Double that," She corrected him.

"Right well that was him exactly one minute after he was born," Pam smiled, fondly as she passed a picture of her newborn son to his now wife. "Three minutes... ten minutes... eighteen... twenty three... forty five... one hour seventeen minutes," She continued, examining each picture before handing them to Stacey.

Stacey turned over one of the photographs in her grasp, expecting to see a time on the back put it was plain white. "Pam, how do you know what time it is if there's nothing on the back?" She asked.

Pam looked at her with a knowing smile. "A mother always knows, Stace,"

"He was a _big _baby!" She observed, staring intently at one of the pictures.

"Hmm," Pam nodded, taking a mouthful of her water – a substitute from her lack of wine. "11 pounds, three ounces,"

Stacey choked on her tea. "11 pounds?" She asked, incredulously. "How is that even possible?"

"Oh, Stace, big lads the Shipman men are," Pam stated, "Mick was 10lb 8 ounces, his Dad – Errol – was 13... are you alright, Stace?" She stopped and stared at her daughter in law. "I'll bet you're looking at a good ten pounds,"

As she spoke, Stacey began to feel very odd, a low rumbling feeling breaking out in her belly.

"Are you alright, Stace?" She asked, concerned.

"No, I don't feel so good..." Stacey grimaced as shooting pains began to shoot across her stomach.

"Stacey?" Pam asked again, lowering her glass and moving to go and sit next to her. "Stace?"

Suddenly, there was a gushing as Stacey's waters broke.


	26. Full Steam ahead!

"OK, don't panic! Don't panic! Don't panic!" Pam chanted over and over again more to herself than to Stacey.

"I'm not panicking," Stacey replied through gritted teeth as more shooting pains ran across her stomach, causing her to flinch violently. "Just ring Gavin!"

Pam paused and gazed at her daughter in law with astonishment. "Really? You're not panicking? I mean you're waters have broken when you're six weeks premature and you're in a foreign country and..." She began to list but Stacey interrupted her.

"ALRIGHT, PAM!" She exclaimed, "Yes I am panicking, yes I am six weeks premature, yes I am in a foreign bloody country but you're not helping!" She snapped, "Now just ring Gavin!"

It took Pam a second to register Stacey's instruction after her sudden outburst as she began to break out into a sweat.

"Yes, Gavin, yes," she nodded, hurrying to the telephone, but she paused and turned back towards Stacey. "Who's Gavin?"

"Gavin is your son, Pam! My husband! Father of my baby!" Stacey answered, sharply. "Now is not the time to have a break down!"

"Yes, Gavin, yes!" She repeated, going to dial his number in, just as the front door opened and Mick called through causing her to throw the phone to the floor and shout out to him.

"MICK, NOW!" She screamed and he came stumbling into the room, Premier bag still in his grasp.

"Oh my Christ..." He murmured, but Pam cut his short.

"Don't just stand there!" She exclaimed, rubbing Stacey's shoulder. "There's no time! I'll put the kettle on and pour a bowl of hot water then you go upstairs for supplies... we'll need, we'll need linen sheets!" She stated defiantly, hurrying towards the kitchenette.

Even under the circumstances, Mick and Stacey exchanged a look.

"Pam we don't have any linen sheets!" He answered, folding his arms across his chest.

Pam looked up, mid kettle boil, "My linen trousers should be in the airing cupboard, take a pair of scissors to them and cut them up into little strips!" She replied, clicking her fingers as she came up with her ingenious plan. "I'll bob down to Boundary Mill next week for some new ones,"

"Pam, you need to calm down and stop being stupid," Mick ordered, "Right, you go up and pack a bag for Stacey while she goes and gets dressed while I ring Gavin and Gwen then we'll drive her to the hospital!"

Pam was too worked up to argue, she just let out a strange noise of deflation that sounded a bit like a llama mating call before following Stacey from the room.

* * *

The shrill Indian music echoed around the small studio as Nessa stood on one leg on her foam board in front of the large mirrors, whilst Gwen and Neil the toddler sat at the back embroiled in a game of Incy Wincey Spider when Gwen's mobile rang.

"Hang on a minute petal," She said to Neil as she reached for her handbag and began rooting around inside of it.

As she did so, Nessa turned round – still on one leg. "Gwen I'm not bein' funny but what're you doin'?" She asked, looking disgruntled. "I am trying to immerse myself into a complete state of meditation but the ringing of your mobile phone is preventing me from doing so!"

"I'm sorry, love," Gwen replied as she rooted, finally finding it, holding it in her grasp clicking the green button and answering. "Hello... Oh hi Mick... I'm fine..."

Nessa closed her eyes and continued her silent chanting, losing her balance and falling to the floor when Gwen's shriek pierced the air.

"SHE'S WHAT?" She screamed, wide eyed, causing Neil the toddler to fall backwards. "OK, thank you, yes, yes we'll be right down! Tell her I'll be there soon, bye Mick!"

"OH, GWEN!" Nessa exclaimed, defiantly, standing up, hands on hips. She paused, taking in the shocked look on Gwen's face. "What's occurin'?" She asked.

"Stacey's gone into labour," Gwen whispered.

Nessa swallowed, going pale. "You get the boy. I'll get the truck,"

* * *

"Have you gotten hold of Mum yet?" Stacey asked as she re-appeared at the living room door, now fully dressed.

"Yeah, her, Nessa, Bryn and Neil are on the way down – they've just set off," Mick answered. "Did you get hold of Gavin?"

Stacey shook her head, "I've rung twelve times but I keep getting his voicemail," She said, trying to not let the panic she felt show in her voice. "I think he's turned off his phone," She added.

"Don't worry, Stace – he'll make it," He insisted, smiling at her, then reaching for his car keys from where they sat on the coffee table. "Are we ready for off?" He asked,

Stacey looked towards the stairs, "Well Pam's running around upstairs looking for a baby grow she ordered from Devon, but I'm ready,"

"That's all that matters," Mick replied as they walked through to the hallway, "Pam if you're not down in two seconds, we're leaving without you!"

"No, I'm coming! I'm here now!" She exclaimed, running down from upstairs, dragging Stacey's pink suitcase behind her. "It's fine! I'm here," She added, panting as she reached the carpeted hallway.

"Right then," Mick said, taking the case from his wife and reaching for his car keys. "Let's get going,"

"I'll ring, Gav, again," Stacey stated, re-dialling his number.

"OH BASTARD!" Pam exclaimed, causing both Mick and Stacey to jump out of their skin.

"What's wrong, what the matter?" Stacey asked and her husband looked startled.

"I forgot the camera," She replied, burying her head in her hands.

"Gwen, I'm not bein' funny, but I'm pretty sure this is illegal," Nessa grunted as she, Gwen, Bryn, Jason and Neil the toddler sat cramped in the front of an Eddie Stobart's van as they hurtled down the A6 with a Police Siren attached to the roof.

"I don't give a _bloody damn!" _Gwen retorted, covering Neil's ears as she swore. "My little girl's having a baby in a different country and I'm not there to hold her hand, so put your foot _down_, Ness!"

"Yes, Vanessa, full steam ahead!" Bryn agreed as he sat pressed against the passenger door half sat on Jason's knee as the four of them sat across the three seats.

"I think we should slow down a bit," Jason murmured, as a thin layer of sweat covered his forehead.

"Sorry, Jase," Nessa shrugged, "Group Majority,"

As she spoke, Gwen's mobile began to ring and she grasped for her handbag nearly dropping Neil as she did so, but managed to accept the call and press it to her ear.

"Hello?" She said, "Hiya, Pam. How is she?... Yep... Yep... Yep... Uh huh... Yep... Yep... Yep... Still?... OK... Keep me updated, bye bye,"

"Well?" Everyone enquired.

"They've put her on the maternity ward, she's two centre metres, but they still can't get hold of Gav or any of the boys, they've all turned their phones off," She answered, and then added. "Stacey's getting really worried,"

"Fuck that," Nessa said, reaching for her intercom.

"Mummy!" Neil admonished, momentarily taking out his dummy before replacing it.

"Sorry, Pooks, but Mummy has a job to do," Nessa replied before pressing number 7 on her dialling pad and a crackly voice from the other end exclaimed.

"NESSIE, HOW'S IT HANGING, BABES?"

"Oh, you know, Harry, a bit of this, a bit of that," Nessa replied, pressing her foot down so they were hitting 90, cars swerving out the way at the sound of the siren. "It's time you returned the favour you've owed me since the mid eighties,"

"Sure, doll, anything for my Nessiekins,"

"Harry, please you're making me blush," She replied, neither facial expression nor colour changing in the slightest.

"Sorry, Ness, what can I do?"

* * *

"WE LOVE YOU TOTTENHAM, WE DO! WE LOVE YOU TOTTENHAM, WE DO! WE LOVE YOU TOTTENHAM, WE DO! OH TOTTENHAM, WE LOVE YOU!"

Gavin stood in the stands of Tottenham with half of the boys whilst the other half were in the West Ham ones, football was one of the only things that divided them.

Suddenly, there was a shrill ringing of the referee's whistle and he was waving his arms for the players to stop kicking the ball.

Gavin glanced at Budgie who gave a grin and muttered. "Maybe he needs a piss," Gavin gave a laugh in reply before they joined in the heckling from the rest of the crowds.

It was then that Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham Manager stepped out onto the pitch. "Sorry to interrupt your game, folks but I've just had a telephone call from a very lovely lady saying there's a gentleman by the name of Gavin Shipman who is about to become a Father and a fat man named Smithy whom she has told me to tell you she says: "Alrigh'?" Thank you very much for your time and enjoy the rest of the game,"

As he finished speaking, all the boys looked towards where Gavin had been sat, but his seat was empty and he was gone.

"Breath, breath, breath, breath, ," Pam coached as Stacey _breathed _through her contractions.

"Thanks, Pam," Stacey sighed as she collapsed back onto the hospital bed.

"For what, my love?" She asked, plumping Stacey's pillow.

"Everything," Stacey replied, readjusting herself in the bed. "For reacting the way you did and keeping my mind off the fact I've gone into labour early, for having spent over £1000 in baby clothes so my son's got some clothes, for having your son, for buying a £600 camera to take pictures,"

"Speaking of which," Pam interrupted, she reached for said camera and, without warning, it gave out a bright flash taking the 24th picture of the day.

"Thanks, Pam," Stacey repeated, this time her voice edged with sarcasm.

"It's no problem, sweetheart," Pam replied, smiling, missing it completely.

There was a sudden interruption as a wild scream permeated the air, slowly growing louder and louder and as the noise grew closer, it became decipherable as a Welsh woman wailing "STACEY, I'M COMING, STACEY! HANG ON, STACEY!" Over and over again.

Gwen then exploded through the door, closely followed by Nessa carrying Neil the toddler, closely followed by Jason, closely followed by Bryn dragging along an inflatable teddy bear.

* * *

"The boys together one last time, you said. Before you hit Fatherhood, you said. One month 'til the baby's born, you said." Gavin listed ruefully as he and Smithy sat in a traffic jam on their way back from the Tottenham Stadium which was a twenty five minute drive from the hospital.

"Woah!" Smithy replied, turning to him. "Let's get something clear, this is NOT my fault,"

"Mate, take the hat off, I can't take you seriously while you're wearing that thing." Gavin ordered, gesturing to the large West Ham felt hat Smithy wore on his head.

"It is a present for Neil!" Smithy insisted, pulling it off his head.

"Yes, because your 22 month old son requires a head size of extra-extra large!" Gavin muttered, running his fingers through his hair exasperatedly.

"Well have you seen his Mother?" Smithy asked, looking towards his best friend.

"Have you?" Gavin retorted.

"Low shot," Smithy answered, glaring at him and sticking the hat back on his head. "If Nessa could hear you d'you know what she'd say?"

"No, Smith, Nessa doesn't say anything she grunts, recites stories that are a load of bollocks, makes weird expressions and spends a month and a half having phone sex with you in my spare room,"

"Uh..." Smithy began, but found himself with no comeback. "Alright, I'll give you that one,"

"I shouldn't be in this situation!" Gavin sighed leaning against the steering wheel. "We should have learnt by now!"

"Alright, how about this?" Smithy replied, "Any more kids we have, we give it three months, either side so nothing like this ever happens again,"

Gavin glanced towards his best friend and nodded. "Deal,"

"Deal," Smithy let out a sigh of frustration, his chair was pushed all the way back but he still felt confined. "Shall we have some tunes then?" He asked, turning on the radio and the voice of Justin Beiber filled the car

"_WHERE ARE YOU NOOOOOOOOOW? WHEN I NEED YOU THE MOST? WHY ARE WE SO FAR APART? I FEEL SO ALONE,"_

The look Gavin gave him, said it all.

"Maybe not," Smithy muttered, turning it off.

"Alright, there are too many people in here," the nurse examining Stacey stated, "Stacey, sweetheart, pick one person who you want to stay with you, everyone else, could you please wait outside."

Only Mick saw Pam cross her fingers.

"Mum, will you stay?" Stacey asked, looking towards her Mother.

Only Mick saw Pam stamp her foot.

"Of course, I will, darling," Gwen replied.

"Right, well we'll all wait outside," Mick said, "Good luck, Stace!" He added before turning and pulling his wife outside the room, whilst muttering. "Not a word,"

As they all walked out of the room, Gavin and Smithy, still donned with the West Ham hat appeared at the end of the hallway...


	27. To those who read Stacey's Pregnancy

Hello everyone! It has been ridiculously long since I have updated but things have been ridiculously hectic with school and all my exams, but Stacey's Pregnancy is coming to an end and the last chapter will be uploaded on Christmas day.

This is just to let you know how much of a privilege it has been to write this story and how much I appreciate your patience. So as I've said, it's coming to an end and I'm doing a vote as to what baby Shipman will be called and I would be really greatful if everyone who reads this would vote as I want you to all have an input.

So here we go...

Jacob

Charlie

Harry

Max

Joe

Jack

Stephen

Sam

Thomas

Alfie

Daniel

Ethan

Oscar

James

Oliver

Please could everyone get their votes in by 11pm on Christmas Eve

Also, there will be a few more things to look forward to:

A look into the lives of the Shipmans  
Nessa's announcement  
How Smithy ended up owing the Essex Local Authority £4000

Much Love Preston101 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


	28. Wald GrigellEshefska Shipman

It was one hour and twenty three minutes, one hour and twenty minutes since Smithy and Gavin had finally descended on St. Mary's Maternity Hospital, one hour and twenty minutes since Gavin had run past his parents and in-laws whilst his ecstatic and screaming Mother had thrust the camera in his face and snapped pictures of him, much to his annoyance.

It had also been one hour and eighteen minutes since Pam and Bryn had wept into each other's shoulders as it was 'finally, really and truly happening'.

* * *

"How you feeling, baby?" Gavin asked, as Stacey lifted her head off his chest after yet another contraction.

"Remember that time we got that Fried Chicken from that Chicken Place?" Stacey asked, wearily.

"From Herman's?" He checked, glancing at his watch, roughly twenty six seconds.

"Yeah, how we said it was like lead and how we wrote the will because we thought we were dying?"

"Yeah?" Gavin replied, rubbing her back soothingly in a bid to make her more comfortable.

"Well this is nothing like that, this is like how the toilet felt after Nessa was through with it," Gavin grimaced.

"You poor, poor woman," he stated.

39.432 seconds after her last contraction the next one started and Stacey's head flew once more to her husband's chest for solace.

"Shh, shh, shh," Gavin murmured, reaching for the gas and air with and inserting the nozzle into her mouth whilst the other went back to rubbing her back. "Inhale, babe, right in," He soothed, the sounds of his wife's moans and cries of pain killing him.

Five minutes later, the midwife came back in and began to examine Stacey after a few seconds she looked towards them both and Stacey. "You're ten centimetres, Stacey," She smiled. "Time to have your baby,"

"Well this is nice," Pam announced to the silent waiting room as she, Mick, Smithy, Nessa, Neil the toddler, Gwen, Bryn and Jason sat in the waiting room.

"Pam, I'm not bein' funny but that's the twelfth time you said that in the space of eight minutes," Nessa put in as she rocked a sleeping Neil the toddler.

"You think of a topic of conversation then," Pam replied, folding her arms across her chest.

Nessa grunted. "Nice weather," She noted and they all made noises of agreement. A few seconds later, she snapped. "Smith will you stop tapping your foot, it is bloody irritating and I need you to hold Neil – the toddler – whilst I go out to have a packet, my gum's clogging my tonsils!" As she spoke, she brought her ball of nicotine gum to her teeth to reveal her whole packet.

"Yeah sure," Smithy replied, standing up and taking Neil. "Come on, big boy," He grunted, as though his slight son was a hefty weight.

Neil gave a grunt, a heave and a sigh before snuggling into his dad's shoulder as Smithy settled himself on the plastic seating.

As Nessa stood, then paused. "Smith, can I borrow your had for a moment?" She asked.

"Yeah, sure, help yourself," Smithy directed.

Doing as she was told, Nessa took the hat spat her ball of nicotine gum into the felt lining then passed it back to her boyfriend. "Ta," she said, then turned on her black boot and strode out of the waiting room.

A slight silence ensued before Jason began, "Well that was rather ru..." His sentence was broken by Bryn and Pam's continual weeping for their unborn relative.

* * *

"In and out, in and out, in and out, in and..." Gavin coached, in an attempt to calm his wife, but to no avail.

"GAVIN! THAT IS HOW WE GOT IN THIS SITUATION AND TO BE HONEST I COULD DO WITHOUT THE REMINDER!" Stacey retorted angrily.

"Stacey you're ten centimetres," The nurse examining Stacey announced. "Time to have a baby!"

* * *

Gavin looked at Stacey and Stacey looked at Gavin.

"Funny things names are," Gwen stated, breaking the silence a few minutes later.

"How do you mean, Mum?" Jason asked, as all eyes fell to the soon the be grandmother who had been sat in the corner silently knitting.

"I mean names they're a single word – or a combination – in which a person, place, thing, body or class or, thinking about it, object of thought is designated, called or known,"

"That was very insightful Gwen, love," Mick nodded, patting his wife on the shoulder as she had gained some composure.

There were murmurs of 'I don't know,'

"She mentioned Caden to me," Nessa spoke up as she rocked Bryn in a similar fashion to how Mick rocked his wife.

"No!" Pam spoke up, hiccupping slightly, "they agreed – no Welsh names!"

"She's right," Gwen nodded, holding out her knitting in front of her to get a good view of it.

"We didn't really want to call Gavin, Gavin, y'know," Pam stated, taking a mouthful of coffee from the plastic cup her husband had passed her in order for the hiccups to pass.

"Oh?" Gwen asked, and, one by one, they looked towards her.

"Well, originally we..." She began but Mick interrupted her.

"No, Pam, you," He corrected her.

"Alright, fine, I wanted to call him something very regal, very bold..." She continued.

"Pam, get to the point!" Nessa intervened in an annoyed tone.

"Wald Griggell-Eschefska Shipman!" She announced proudly.

"Well that's lovely," Bryn smiled, over the mixtures of exchanged glances and suppressed snorts of laughter.

"Isn't it?" She agreed, and then shot to her husband. "See Mick! I told you it was a nice name!"

"How did you come up with... such a... unique name?" Jason asked, choosing his words carefully.

"Well, Jase, Wald was a very popular name back in the seventies, it means Forest. And calling your first born child the maiden name of the Mother is a tradition in my family, but Mr. High and Mighty over there wasn't having any of it!" She paused momentarily to give her husband a death stare. "No, ended up with a name each, his family tradition and some random name neither of us liked!" She concluded, folding her arms across her chest.

"No, Pam, we got Thomas after his Granddad because he died the day before he was born, Alexander was my name, Leonardo was yours..."

"After the artist," Pam said to them, "The man is a work of God,"

"And Gavin was the only name out of the Baby Book that you didn't say bleugh at," He concluded.

"I was taking a breath," Pam muttered.

**Eight minutes Later**

"_Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya," _Pam sang louder than intended to herself as she flicked through the pages of Take a Break. _"Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya,"_

The image of a sixty odd year old woman singing a biblical song provoked glances from the rest of the waiting room, until the twenty stone welsh woman stood up in the corner and joined in.

"Someone's crying Lord, Kumbaya!" Nessa bellowed, almost as proudly as she did the Welsh National Anthem and Kelis' 'My Milkshake brings all the boys to the Yard'.

Pam died down quickly, staring open mouthed at Nessa, much like the rest of the room.

After she finished, an awkward silence descended across the whole of Essex, which was broken by Nessa asking; "Anyone want a Nik Nak?"

* * *

A meatball. That was the only word that Gavin Thomas Leonardo Alexander Shipman had to describe the baby that had be lain on his wife's chest a couple of seconds prior, that notion was quickly replaced when he gently stoked his hand with an outstretched finger and his less than one minute old son grasped it as though he was never going to let go and in that single second as he gazed at his child, Gavin vowed, regardless of what this baby, this child, this teenager, this adult would do... Gavin would be the one that would never let go.

* * *

Stacey Shipman held her baby close; he had been washed, dressed in the blue and white stripy bodysuit that Pam had packed as well as a matching hat and a blanket that Stacey had bought from the big Mamas and Papas in the local retail park before they arrived at Pam and Mick's. He had been born at 11:27pm on Wednesday 3rd February 2010, weighing 6lb 1 ounce; he had a shock of black tufty hair like his Daddy and the most startling green eyes she had ever seen.

"Hello, sweetheart," Pam smiled calmly, for the first time since Stacey had been in labour, partly because Mick had warned her if she was overexcited, he'd have to take her home and partly because Nessa had given her something for the nerves and no one was sure they wanted to know exactly what it was.

"Hiya, Stace," Mick beamed, his arm wrapped strongly around her shoulders.

"Hiya," Stacey smiled as she gently rocked her baby, who neither the new grandparents nor the new father could take their eyes off.

"Mick, Pam, this is harry," Stacey announced as they gently passed her baby to Pam.

"Oh my goodness," Pam murmured, and for the first time in almost thirty years, she found herself speechless.

Gavin slipped past his parents who were now cooing over their new grandchild and settled on the side of the bed, wrapped his arm around Stacey and kissed the side of her head as they watched Mick and Pam interact with baby Harry.

"Harry Patrick," She added, smiling at Gavin as they both looked towards them.

"Patrick's a new one," Mick stated, gently stroking his grandson's hat covered head.

"Yeah well we talked about it and Gav absolutely hates the name Trevor and there isn't really a combination of Pam and Mick, so Patrick's like a mixture of all three," Stacey explained, he grin broadening as Pam and Mick's heads snapped towards her.

"He named after us?" Mick asked, his smile broadening.

"He's named after me!" Pam exclaimed joyfully, to which her little baby grandson threw up over himself and the woman whom he was named after.

First Gwen, then Pam and Mick, then Bryn, and now Jason was on his way to visit his newborn nephew.

"Do you think that Stacey's had adequate attention tonight?" Nessa asked Smithy, he looked towards her.

"Well she's had a lot, yeah, but her first kid's been born, that's kind of a special night," Smithy replied, yawning.

"So get ready for this one, big boy," Nessa stated. "I'm pregnant and I've spoken to my friend Lulu the midwife, she thinks it's quadruplets.

Smithy stared at her open mouthed. "Marry me," He stated.

There was a silence before Nessa gave a quick nod and a smile and in the first time in the three years that Smithy had known her, she seemed genuinely sincere.

"Can I just have a second please?" Smithy murmured, then stood from the plastic seats and collapsed against the glass door of the waiting room leaving it to shatter into thousands of little pieces and the obese twenty nine year old to lie there motionless.

* * *

It wasn't quadruplets, it was piles. Also, Smithy smashed the glass and had to go to court and ended up owing the Essex Local Authority £4000, which ended up resulting in Nessa being unable to fly Jay-Lo in from LA for the wedding, but of course, that's an entirely other story.

* * *

**10 Months Later**

Nessa was in the midst of wedding hype, trying to decide between a Puse coloured wedding dress, a mauve one or to dust off the leather one from her blast with Dave. Stacey recomended all but the latter.

There conversation was broken by the front door opening and Gavin's nightly greet of 'Hiya!"

He dumped his briefcase in the hallway, shrugged off his suit jacket and walked into the living room, disappointed not to find Harry there waiting for him.

"Hi, babe," Stacey smiled, standing up off the settee, meeting him halfway from the door and kissing him.

"Alright?" He smiled, "Hi Ness,"

"Alright, Gav, what's occurin'?" She replied, nodding at him.

"Not much," He stated.

"Good, right, I'll be off, got to get back to Neil, the boy and Neil, the fianceé" Nessa grunted, slipping the wedding dresses back into their compartment and heaving the box onto her back.

As they watched her ride away on the Suzuki, Gavin asked. "Where's Harry?"

"You've been in five minutes and only now are you thinking to question the whereabouts of your only child?" Stacey asked, incredulously.

"Well Nessa was here, and she's only just leaving and I was thinking about him the whole time!" He defended.

"God, Gavin, he could have been kidnapped or be dead/dying or being held to ransom by the cast of Love Actually!"

"The cast of Love Actually?" Gavin question, wrapping his arms around Stacey's waist. "Seriously, though, where is he?"

"Upstairs having a nap," Stacey laughed, "Go on upstairs and wake him up and get his shoes on, we're taking him to the park, then to the chippy cos I can't be bothered cooking,"

Gavin shrugged. "OK" he said.

Stacey got Harry's Red MacLaren Pushchair out from underneath the stairs and got her coat on, whilst Gavin got changed out of his suit before softly heading across the landing to his son's bedroom.

It was pale blue with a Thomas the Tank Engine motif on the walls and in the oak cot underneath the window lay Gavin and Stacey's reason for living, fast asleep.

Walking over, he ruffled the soft crop of black hair that had grown over the past ten months and slowly watched as his son began to wake up and open his emerald eyes. A smile spread across his face as he laid eyes on his beloved Father who he had not seen since half past eight that morning.

"Da!" He exclaimed joyfully as Gavin lifted him out of the cot and placed a kiss on the side of his head.

"Alright, little man?" Gavin grinned, pulling down his stripy jumper as he settled him against him. "Are we going to the park with Mummy then for fish and chips on the way home?" He asked as he made his way down the stairs, not forgetting Max the Monkey, the beloved companion of baby Shipman.

As Harry babbled to him in baby talk, Gavin gave a small chuckle as he saw Stacey struggling with the pushchair still. "Come here, bud, go to Mummy and let Daddy do the push chair," he stated, handing Harry over to Stacey who back away, knowing they'd still be here on Christmas Morning if it was left to her.

"Hello, sweetheart," she cooed, peppering his face with kisses. "Did you have a nice nap?" But Harry wasn't interested in discussing his sleeping activities with his Mother, instead choosing to gaze in wonderment at the Christmas Tree in the living room.

"Yeah look it's the angel!" She pointed to the top of the seven foot Christmas Tree and Harry mimicked her pointing and cried out "Anga!" which she assumed was his version of the word Angel.

"C'mon you two, let's be off!" Gavin stated, holding out Harry's Green Parka and Blue Clarks shoes.

"No that's not my Father Christmas, his boots are too shiny!" Gavin exclaimed dramatically before turning the page of the book. "That's my Father Christmas his beard is so fluffy!"

Harry, at that point, decided that he didn't want to read anymore and pulled the book out of his Father's grasp and proceed to suck on it, his dummy now falling onto his stripy sleepsuit.

"C'mon time for bed, you!" Gavin stated, eyeing the clock, "Off to Mummy!" He added, smothering his face with kisses and standing up and passing him to Stacey, whose turn it was to put him to bed. "Love you, mate, sweet dreams," He murmured as Stacey wrapped her arms around him and he settled his head into the crook of her neck and Stacey slipped the dummy into his mouth.

"I'll be back in ten," Stacey murmured to Gavin as she rocked Harry and left the room.

Gavin gave it five minutes before creeping up the carpetted staircase to gaze in his son's room and Gavin saw Stacey knelt beside Harry cot with the bar down as she softly stroked his hair and murmured a story to him.

In that moment, Gavin knew there was nowhere in the world he would want to be rather than here.

* * *

**Hey guys, I guess this is it, Stacey's Pregnancy is officially over but you have no idea how much I have enjoyed writing this story and I really hope that you've enjoyed reading it all just as much. **

**Love you all, Preston101 :D xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


End file.
